Uncovering a world of mental illness: An analysis in perceptual transformation in undergraduate nursing students

The culture of nursing education is a major influence in transforming student nursesʹ perceptions of mental illness and nurse educators are the primary facilitators in this process. Undergraduate nursing studentsʹ perceptions of mental illness change positively, however, it has not been understood how these changes occur. This pilot study extends understanding of how 22 undergraduate psychiatric nursing studentsʹ perceptions of mental illness became transformed during the course of one semester. The author analyzed student narratives using Heideggerian Hermeneutics. Five students, who wrote narratives, read a manuscript discussing the constitutive pattern and the relational themes and consensually validated the interpretation. The constitutive pattern that emerged is the Uncovering of Mental Illness. Three relational themes were identified that contributed to, and led to the development of the constitutive pattern. The three themes are (1) uncovering othersʹ sameness through differences, (2) coming face-to-face with mental illness, and (3) the staff nurse influence in the uncovering process. In addition to increasing understanding of perceptual transformation, the findings from this interpretation suggest that nurse educators can guide students in the development of therapeutic relationships by facilitating the uncovering process.