Dilemmas in Professional Education: Responding Effectively to Students with Mental Health Problems

Abstract

Students on professional training programmes have the status of embryonic professionals as well as that of students in higher education. When such students either bring a history or show evidence of current mental health problems, those teaching on these programmes face dilemmas in both responding to the needs of the individual and meeting their broader responsibilities to the profession, the purchasers of training and the wider community. This article explores these issues in the contexts of nursing and social work qualifying programmes, drawing on research which details educators' experiences of supporting students with mental health problems. The key transitional stages of admission and exit from such programmes are discussed. The article calls for a response to individual cases which balances potential dangers and benefits and advocates the development of transparent guidelines to assist in the resolution of such dilemmas.