Recruitment and retention initiatives: nursing students’ satisfaction with clinical experience in the mental health field

The difficulty in attracting graduates of undergraduate nursing programs into mental health remains a challenge for the field. Positive clinical experience has been identified as a potential strategy in encouraging students to regard mental health nursing positively. This paper reports the findings of a survey administered to Undergraduate Nursing Students and Trainee Enrolled Nurses within the mental health area. The purpose of the survey was to measure satisfaction with clinical placements within an Area Mental Health Service. The information provided from the survey is directing the on-going development of clinical placements, clinical supports, education programs and recruitment and retention initiatives for nurses within the Central Sydney Area Mental Health Service. The findings indicate a generally high level of satisfaction with the clinical placement undertaken, however a number of strategies to improve satisfaction with placements were identified.