This study clarified nursing students' experiences of an educational program where they listened to the recovery stories of individuals with mental illness in a classroom setting. In this qualitative study, the program was delivered to third year nursing students in December 2019 (n = 62), after which they completed an anonymous free-response questionnaire. The responses were classified into seven clusters: understanding how patients perceive and appraise nursing care practices; interpreting experiences of disease realistically; deciphering patients' histories based on their recovery stories; exploring ways to engage with patients based on knowledge of determinants of nursing care quality; finding ways to engage with patients grounded in respect; recognizing the importance of creating a therapeutic environment; gaining a sensitive understanding based on real-world stories. These clusters were grouped into "understanding the quality of nursing practices" and "gaining knowledge for application to nursing practices."
Keywords: mental illness; nursing student; qualitative study; recovery story.