Expert by experience involvement in mental health nursing education: the co-production of standards between experts by experience and academics in mental health nursing

Introduction: Involving people with lived experience of mental distress in mental health nursing education has gained considerable traction yet broader implementation remains ad hoc and tokenistic. Effective involvement requires curricula be informed by lived experience of service use. Aim: To develop standards to underpin expert by experience involvement in mental health nursing education based on lived experience of service use. Methods: Phase one used qualitative descriptive methods, involving focus groups with service users (n = 50) from six countries to explore perceptions of service user involvement in mental health nursing education. Phase two utilized these findings through consensus building to co-produce standards to support Experts by Experience involvement in mental health nursing education. Results: Three themes emerged in Phase one: enablers and barriers, practical and informational support, and emotional and appraisal support. These themes underpinned development of the standards, which reflect nine processes: induction and orientation, external supervision, supportive teamwork, preparation for teaching and assessing, “intervision,” mutual mentorship, pre- and post-debriefing, role clarity and equitable payment. Conclusions: These standards form the framework entitled; Standards for Co-production of Education (Mental Health Nursing) (SCo-PE [MHN]). Implications for Practice: The standards aim to support implementation of Expert by Experience roles in mental health nursing education.