The views of patients, mentors and adult field nursing students on patients' participation in student nurse assessment in practice.

In recent years, changes to undergraduate nursing curricula in the United Kingdom have been coupled with increasing expectations that service users be involved in assessment of student nurses. These factors lead to the development of a tool to facilitate gathering of feedback from patients/carers on the competency of adult field student nurses in practice. This study evaluated experiences of those involved in the process of using the feedback tool. Using an exploratory qualitative research design, four patients, four mentors and five pre-registration adult field nursing students were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the data identified three interconnecting themes; value of the patient's voice, caring and protection, and authenticity of feedback. A sub-theme of timing of giving feedback was also identified. Patients felt they should be involved in giving feedback, were comfortable in doing so, and felt best placed to judge students' performance in several aspects of care. Students and mentors shared these opinions. Additionally they felt service user feedback potentially helped improve students' competence and confidence, and facilitated mentors in their assessment of students' professional values, communication and interpersonal skills. However, mentors were more reticent about the possibility of receiving feedback from service users on their own practice.