A survey of the education of nurses working in mental health settings in 12 European countries

Background Recent European policies emphasise that the training and education of health professionals are a major means of improving mental health services. Little comparative research has been undertaken to ascertain the degree of homogeneity in the training of nurses working in mental health settings across Europe. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the training of nurses working in mental health settings in a range of European countries. Specifically, information regarding criteria for entry into training, type of qualification awarded and further training opportunities was to be explored. Methods and participants A specially designed questionnaire was designed to gather data from senior mental health nurses working in the mental health field in a sample of 12 countries from across Europe. Results Findings disclosed considerable disparity between countries in respect to nurse training, with few countries requiring a specialist nursing qualification to practice in the mental health field. There appears to be little homogeneity in terms of educational provision pre and post-qualification. Conclusions More research is needed into how European states deliver nurse training and education, how students are prepared for various practice settings and the effect on outcomes for service users of different models of training.