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Exploring the experiences of trainee mental health workers: moving from theory to practice

Exploring the experiences of trainee mental health workers: moving from theory to practice The Trainee Mental Health Worker (TMHW) Programme is an initiative developed collaboratively between Middlesex University and local NHS Mental Health Trusts in response to national workforce requirements for flexible clinical personnel. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experience of this new category of mental health workers and to address the feedback given by previous cohorts of TMHWs.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study comprised of three focus groups who met over their year-long training. In total, 20 participants self-selected from a population of 60 TMHWs, and their expectations of the TMHW role prior to starting the programme and following each of two practice placements were explored.FindingsThe thematic analysis identified five domains: identity, career strategy, functioning in the system, status and responsibility; the TMHWs demonstrated notable changes in their attitude and behaviour as they progressed. The findings demonstrate the challenges of integrating a new type of workforce into the rigid systems of the health care service.Research limitations/implicationsFocus groups by their nature are not always representative, and this programme is limited in its number of students.Practical implicationsThis study has led to a greater understanding of the experiences of trainees across a variety of clinical settings.Social implicationsThe results from this study will assist employing trusts in recruitment and retention by helping them to understand this phenomenon and the role itself.Originality/valueThis study’s value lies in the insight it offers into the experience of a new kind of worker moving from novice status to practitioner outside the constraint of a professional registration. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Emerald Publishing

Exploring the experiences of trainee mental health workers: moving from theory to practice

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1755-6228
DOI
10.1108/jmhtep-12-2016-0061
Publisher site
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Abstract

The Trainee Mental Health Worker (TMHW) Programme is an initiative developed collaboratively between Middlesex University and local NHS Mental Health Trusts in response to national workforce requirements for flexible clinical personnel. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experience of this new category of mental health workers and to address the feedback given by previous cohorts of TMHWs.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study comprised of three focus groups who met over their year-long training. In total, 20 participants self-selected from a population of 60 TMHWs, and their expectations of the TMHW role prior to starting the programme and following each of two practice placements were explored.FindingsThe thematic analysis identified five domains: identity, career strategy, functioning in the system, status and responsibility; the TMHWs demonstrated notable changes in their attitude and behaviour as they progressed. The findings demonstrate the challenges of integrating a new type of workforce into the rigid systems of the health care service.Research limitations/implicationsFocus groups by their nature are not always representative, and this programme is limited in its number of students.Practical implicationsThis study has led to a greater understanding of the experiences of trainees across a variety of clinical settings.Social implicationsThe results from this study will assist employing trusts in recruitment and retention by helping them to understand this phenomenon and the role itself.Originality/valueThis study’s value lies in the insight it offers into the experience of a new kind of worker moving from novice status to practitioner outside the constraint of a professional registration.

Journal

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice – Emerald Publishing

Published: May 16, 2018

Keywords: Practice education; Mental health; Trainee

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