International expectations: mental health nurses providing professional development and support to baccalaureate degree nursing students.

To ensure that future mental health nurses are competent practitioners, nursing knowledge needs to be passed from current practicing mental health nurses to nursing students while they learn and practise their craft within their clinical area. The role the mental health nurse has in ensuring clinical competence and instilling confidence in students is an integral part of the success of the future mental health nursing workforce. Internationally countries such as Finland, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom also all have competency standards for the registered nurse which specifically state that registered nurses are required to support baccalaureate degree nursing students. In fact the International Council of Nurses Framework of Competencies for the Generalist Nurse also states that registered nurses are required to support students. Registered nurses practicing in mental health are required to practice under the same standards as a generalist registered nurse. It is imperative therefore, that mental health nurses are aware of their obligations to engage in the professional development of nursing students. Data from interviews was analysed and will be presented. This presentation will explore the international expectation that registered nurses practicing as mental health nurses have a responsibility to provide professional development and support to baccalaureate degree nursing students undertaking clinical experiences based in findings from this research.