Please cite this article in press as: Hung, M. S. Y., et al. Nursing students’ experiences of mental health first aid training: A qualitative descriptive study. Collegian (2019), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2019.02.006 ARTICLE IN PRESS G Model COLEGN-595; No. of Pages 7 Collegian xxx (2019) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Collegian journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/coll Nursing students’ experiences of mental health first aid training: A qualitative descriptive study Maria S.Y. Hung * , Stanley K.K. Lam, Meyrick C.M. Chow Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 13 January 2019 Received in revised form 21 February 2019 Accepted 28 February 2019 Available online xxx Keywords: Mental Health First Aid Nursing education Nursing students Undergraduate nursing a b s t r a c t Background: With the increasing prevalence of mental illnesses worldwide, nurses’ competence and pre- paredness in addressing patients’ mental health needs warrant particular attention. However, nurses who receive general nursing training may have inadequate knowledge and beliefs about mental health disorders. Although Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is considered relevant in improving partic- ipants’ mental health literacy, the benefits of incorporating the training into general nursing education have not yet been clearly defined in the literature. Aim: The present study aimed to explore undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions and experiences of participating in MHFA training. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative descriptive method. Twenty-five nursing students in a Bac- calaureate nursing programme in Hong Kong who had completed a 12-h MHFA training course were recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, individual interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Five overarching themes regarding the participants’ experiences of the MHFA training were identified from the data: (1) reinforced knowledge and understanding, (2) enhanced techniques and skills, (3) rectified beliefs and values, (4) improved self-awareness of personal mental health status and (5) a heightened sense of achievement and satisfaction. Discussion: In addition to enhancing nursing students’ competence and readiness in managing individ- uals with mental health conditions, Mental Health First Aid training could strengthen nursing students’ awareness of their own mental health. Conclusion: The findings provide a greater understanding of the practical and experiential benefits of MHFA training for nursing students, and highlight the relevance of incorporating this training into the undergraduate general nursing curriculum. © 2019 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. 1. Introduction and background The prevalence of mental disorders is at the forefront of current global health concerns. According to the World Health Organiza- tion, approximately 450 million people worldwide currently suffer from mental health disorders, thus representing the primary cause of ill health and disability and engendering adversity among the global population (2017). Indeed, mental disorders not only impose considerable demands on mental health services, but also pose a daunting challenge to general healthcare service provision. The co-morbid presence of mental health conditions in patients with physical health problems is becoming a common phenomenon in the global healthcare system, adding further complexity to * Corresponding author at: KPC1601G, School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. E-mail address: mariahung@twc.edu.hk (M.S.Y. Hung). the already challenging field of healthcare delivery (Vasiliadis, Lamoureux-Lamarche, & Guerra, 2017). To offer the public compre- hensive and holistic healthcare services, healthcare professionals’ competence and willingness to meet the mental health needs of the public warrant particular attention. Nonetheless, nurses who receive general nursing training may be inadequately prepared to care for patients with a comorbid mental illness. For instance, nurses with a general nursing training background demonstrate insufficient knowledge of the signs, symptoms and manifestation of mental health illnesses (Bressington et al., 2018). Such inade- quate knowledge among nurses reflects the difficulties they might encounter while attempting to deliver high-quality and holistic care to patients with mental health conditions. In addition, several studies have identified that nurses in a general medical care setting who have insufficient understanding of mental illnesses may pos- sess stigmatising and prejudiced attitudes towards patients with a history of psychiatric illness, which adversely affects their willing- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2019.02.006 1322-7696/© 2019 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.