Introduction:

The psychiatric reform and the promulgation of the National Plan of Mental Health and Psychiatry posed the challenge of a change of attitude towards people with mental illnesses. Due to stigmatization and discrimination, patients suffer human rights violations, being denied the possibility of enjoying the highest degree of health. For Nursing at Universidad del Desarrollo it is a challenge and a duty to train professionals who are respectful of diversity and capable of generating specialized nursing care, so a course was designed that incorporated experiential learning.

Objective:

To promote a change of attitude towards mental illnesses in third-year Nursing students through the incorporation of experiential learning.

Methods:

Cohort study. We analyzed the existence of statistically significant differences (t-test, 95% confidence interval and 0.05 significance) in the scores obtained by 52 Nursing students, after applying the Attitudes towards the Mentally Ill Measuring Scale in future health technicians, before and after the completion of the course, after signing informed consent.

Results:

The average score increased from 59.3 (from: 10.5) to 64.5 points (from: 8.8). The average difference in the total score of the test before and after the course is 5.2 points. Upon distinguishing between favorable and unfavorable items, the average scores increase after the completion of the course.

Conclusion:

It is possible to promote a change of attitude towards mental illnesses in Nursing students by means of experiential learning.

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