Nursing and group on nursing (mental health or psychiatric nurses)

Papers relating to teaching and training for psychiatric or mental health nurses, after the change in their role from custodians to therapeutic carers of patients.

Mainly comprises a report on 'Group Methods and Teaching with Senior Nursing Staff' which describes a nursing group set up at the Maudsley Hospital to foster group cohesion amongst the staff (why it was set up, how the group interacted, re-acted and developed) and several group evalutation forms completed by members of the group; various papers and notes about methods and teaching and training for psychiatric nursing staff since 1957 and attitudes of the nurses; typescript of a report by W. J. Staubles on his seminars for the Society of Mental Nurses (generated by the issue of a new syllabus for mental nurses). It is unclear from the papers if the Maudsley Hospital group was led by Rosen or by Dr Staubles.

The issue arose as a result of the change from custodial to therapeutic care of patients in mental hospitals. The nurse's role altered considerably, a fact officially recognised in England and Wales in 1957 when the General Nursing Council instituted a new syllabus for training student nurses. The main changes were to stress the importance of therapeutic relationships between nurse and patient and the belief that learning best takes place in actual working situations. This required a different attitude by the nurses towards their roles and also the senior nursing staff needed to acquire new teaching skills and academic tutors needed to liaise more with ward sisters and male charge nurses. There was greater need to foster a group spirit in teaching and in the actual work with patients. This led to the setting up of regular group meetings at the Maudsley Hospital, London.

(See also PP/ROS/C/13/2)

1957-1958

1 file

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