Exploring the experience of undergraduate nursing students following placement at psychiatric units in China: A phenomenological study.

To explore undergraduate nursing students' experiences of psychiatric placements. Placement is an important learning phase for undergraduate nursing students and the placement experiences may affect their career choices. However, nursing students' experiences of psychiatric placements have not been fully explored in China. This study adopted a descriptive, phenomenological design. After psychiatric placement, a semi-structured interview was conducted in June 2022 among 22 final-year undergraduate nursing students using purposive sampling. The data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Five themes were identified: i) destigmatising mental illness; ⅱ) beneficial communication; ⅲ) gaining confidence; iv) disappointment and sadness; and v) fear and discomfort. Nursing students experienced various positive experiences and negative emotions during their psychiatric placement. Further research should explore and validate appropriate educational strategies to optimise students' placement experiences to increase their career interest in psychiatric nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]