School of Nursing & Midwifery Annual Report 2018

HealthCare Experience, Engagement and Reform

COMMUNE – Evaluation of Co-production of Mental Health Nursing Education with Experts by Experience

The Team: Dr Aine Horgan (PI)

The Story: Learning about mental health from the perspective of experts by experience (EBE) is widely recognised as best practice within mental health nursing education. The Erasmus+ funded Commune project, aimed to co-produce a blended learning module entitled ‘exploring human distress with experts by experience’ between nursing academics and EBE’s across six countries (Ireland, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Iceland). All aspects of the project were co-produced, for example grant writing, data collection and analysis and module content. The content and learning outcomes were informed by a review of the literature and focus group interviews with those who have used the mental health services. The module was delivered by EBE lecturers and evaluated with both students and lecturers using mixed methods. The project has resulted in the embedding of EBE lecturers within the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Findings indicated that the experience had a profound effect on how students viewed those who experience mental distress, resulting in less stigmatising, open and non-judgemental attitudes. It improved their recovery literacy and increased their positivity toward mental health nursing as a career. Internationally the project has resulted (thus far) in a large number of conference presentations and peer reviewed publications (sample below), with three further publications currently under review.

UCC Team: Fionnuala Manning, Rory Doody, Sonya Greaney, Moira O’Donovan, Dr Stephen Bradley, Claire Dorrity, Prof. Eileen Savage, Johnny Goodwin.

International Project Lead: Prof Pall Biering, University of Iceland.

Pictured left: Dr Aine Horgan, Fionnuala Manning and Rory Doody, University College Cork, presenting at the European Conference on Mental Health, Berlin, Germany.

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