Growth: reflections from a

student mental health nurse

8 September, 2012
@laurengoudie, a third year mental health student nurse at the University of the West of
Scotland who is doing her placements in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, gives her perspective on her
time as a student nurse.
Id suggest that emotion and learning in combination are powerful sources of meaning and direction; it
creates a place for personal and professional development and growth, which has supported my
understanding of recovery.
Throughout my training I have grown to understand that the phenomena recovery requires selfawareness, drive and acceptance to operate outside the box in improving quality of care shadowed by
clinical and educational governance, critical appraisal and synthesis.
A unique process
I consider the process unique - a continuum of expectations, attitudes and values, fruitful of
conceptional descriptions entwined with a variety of characteristics representing ones perception.
If I am honest, I feel recovery is a personal choice flourished on how much the individual sits on the
continuum of hope, growth and change. As nurses we develop an unconscious awareness that enables
us to build on using our thoughts and experiences self; the ability to enter the perceptual world of
another person. That personal choice challenges our expectations on meeting the highly valued
outcomes of our governing cornerstones Person centred, safe and effective care, giving us movement
in implementing change.
I could argue that reflection contributes to the enablement of the flight in understanding recovery for
the person. It allows us to recognise resilience, risk and vulnerability, empathises understanding,
avoids bias perceptions and attitudes; symbolic interactionism (World Health Organization, 2002).
Sartres quote (1944) Hell is other people may at times reflect on the impact of negative perceptions
to recovery based on beliefs and values imposing on how that person values their journey - free of
existential obstacles instead a purpose and meaning in life.
Therapeutic use of self
Wherefore questionable, I comprehended the credibility of multifariousness factors, thus the values
and principles to understanding recovery i.e. evaluating strengths and barriers, emotional or personal
beliefs, goals in establish identity, hope and meaningful life.
Amongst this learning I discovered that the importance of expressing compassion in the therapeutic
use of self positively within the therapeutic relationship can be crucial in avoiding false hope and
maintaining boundaries.
Throughout my training I have had the honour of getting to know different people and their stories,
and can confidently say that not one story is the same.

I have learned that their individuality is the key to finding the right direction in enabling footsteps in
finding that hope and pathway (The National Framework for Pre-registration Mental
Health Nursing Programmes in Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, 2006).
I have often reflected on my experiences and feel it is important to synthesise findings and develop
own coherent understanding - a competent nurse is crucial for the recovery of mental healthservice
users (Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, 2003).
Personal and Professional Growth
To conclude I have learned that supporting recovery requires a cultural awareness embedded in the
vision of values and trust (NHS, Scotland, 2011). Therefore, this working relationship to recovery is a
very valuable process which puts an onus on promoting personal and professional growth and
understanding.
Lastly I feel a point to us all: You are the most important person in your life (Purcell, 2009).
Lauren has recently achieved her BSc in MH Nursing.