Acting With a Purpose: The Lived Experience of Actors in the Role of Standardized Patients Portraying Mental Illness

•Little to no research has focused on the experience of standardized patients (SPs).•The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of SPs portraying clients with mental illness.•A qualitative/phenomenological perspective guided inquiry and analysis.•SPs grew in confidence with practice and emerged as partners in teaching/learning.•SPs found go.

BackgroundStandardized patients (SPs) allow students to apply nursing skills in a safe/supportive environment. This study examined the experience of SPs in psychiatric/mental health simulations.MethodThe day-to-day experiences of SPs portraying mental illness was explored in this qualitative study. Using interviews as the primary data source, a qualitative, phenomenological perspective) guided inquiry and analysis.ResultsFour themes: Sparks something in me, Building on confidence, Stepping into the shoes of the educator, and Letting it get to me, investigated SPs' initiation into and their growing confidence in the acting/teaching role. Letting it get to me, SPs discussed the difficulty SPs later had “shaking off” their roles.ConclusionsResearch underscores the value of SPs in creating an accurate representation of a client with mental illness; however, this reality often stayed with them even after the portrayal was over. To provide the best experiences, nurse educators must train, follow up, and debrief to ensure that actors not only provide an accurate portrayal, but must also address any psychological harm.