Expert by Experience involvement in Mental Health Nursing Education: The co-production of standards between Experts by Experience and Academics in Mental Health Nursing

Abstract

Introduction: Involving people with lived experience of mental distress in mental health nursing education has gained considerable traction yet broader implementation remains ad-hoc and tokenistic. Effective involvement requires curricula be informed by lived experience of service use. Aim: To develop standards to underpin expert by experience involvement in mental health nursing education based on lived experience of service use. Methods: Phase one used qualitative descriptive methods, involving focus groups with service users (n=50) from six countries to explore perceptions of service user involvement in mental health nursing education. Phase two utilised these findings through consensus building to co-produce standards to support Experts by Experience involvement in mental health nursing education. Results: Three themes emerged in Phase one: enablers and barriers, practical and informational support, and emotional and appraisal support. These themes underpinned development of the standards, which reflect nine processes: induction and orientation, external supervision, supportive teamwork, preparation for teaching and assessing, 'intervision', mutual mentorship, pre and post debriefing, role clarity and equitable payment. Conclusions: These standards form the framework entitled; Standards for Co-production of Education (Mental Health Nursing) (SCo-PE [MHN]). Implications for Practice The standards aim to support implementation of Expert by Experience roles in mental health nursing education.