Student nurses' involvement with death: the image and the experience

A qualitative study of student nurses' images of nursing revealed that features related to death were prominent in both entry and experience-mediated images These features appeared in entry images as part of'the bad' of nursing and were affirmed in this respect through experience However, mediated through students' encounters with reality, death-related experiences also acquired characteristics of'the good' The'involvement' entailed in caring for the dying represented a poignant but emotionally draining aspect of students' clinical experiences Regardless of the degree of accuracy of students' entry images, the'knowing' that came through experience made adjusting to death-related encounters a particular challenge for students A clear implication was the need for effective guidance and support to be provided by the system and by individual members of teaching and clinical staff     

The application of the ideas of Frantz Fanon to the practice of mental health nursing

This paper is based on an extensive review of the published literature which refers to the clinical and social psychology of Frantz Fanon, and seeks to establish the relevance of Fanon's psychological thought to the practice of mental health nursing in the 1990s The writer sets out the key principles of Fanon's clinical and social psychology, and engages with the theoretical problems which arise from the close relationship between Fanon's psychological theories and his involvement with violent revolutionary politics After discussing the links between Fanon's unique psychology and the work of the anti-psychiatrists of the 1960s and later critiques of mental health care, the writer argues that the development and adoption of a neo-Fanonist approach to the practice of mental health nursing would address many of the problems of current mental health care practice In particular, the principles of Fanon's psychology address many of the concerns about disempowerment of service users which have been highlighted in work by feminist and anti-racist writers, and by members of the Mental Health Service Users' Movement     

Politics and nursing: an elective experience

The case for enhancing the political awareness of nurses is reviewed, examining the need for the inclusion of political issues in nurse education programmes A brief review of the available literature from North America reveals that some schools of nursing have made progress in including aspects of politics in nursing curricula, either as part of a course on health policy or as a separate elective course Topics addressed in these courses, and experiences offered, aim to raise awareness and equip nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in politics at a variety of levels An account is offered of the experience of running a 4-week theoretical elective course entitled 'Politics and nursing' as part of the Common Foundation Programme of a Project 2000 course in a college of nursing based in North London, England     

Higher education: the coping stone of nursing education?

For many years the nursing profession in the United Kingdom has sought ways of improving the education of nurses. The present article explores some of the issues surrounding the recent proposals for an alternative to the long-standing apprenticeship system, namely that of moving basic nurse education into institutions of higher education. In particular, it focuses upon and explores the views of clinical nurse teachers and nurse tutors. In order to provide an historical context, the article begins by outlining the history of nurse education over the last century with reference to the various reports that have been published throughout the period. Before discussing the results of a questionnaire completed by those currently involved in the training and education of nurses, the article also considers the experience of other countries where collegiate education for nurses has been introduced.     

The relationship between nursing theory and nursing practice

During the past two decades, redefinition of many of the beliefs and assumptions which underly nursing appears to have contributed to an increasing divergence between nursing theory and nursing practice. Nurses who are theorists and educationalists, and nurses who are engaged in nursing practice tend to use different vocabularies, to have differing perceptions of patients and of nursing, and to value different kinds of nursing knowledge. Some of the divergences between nursing theory and nursing practice are considered, and suggestions made about how theory and practice might be reconciled.     

Problems encountered in setting up support groups in nursing

There has been much discussion on the value of support groups as a means of enabling nurses to deal with the emotional costs of their daily work. This paper describes a range of problems encountered while setting up support groups. Some of the groups were specifically to help nurses give up smoking while others were planned to help with a wide range of problems. From the findings, suggestions are made which may be of value to nurses in all specialties.     

An exploration of psychiatric nurses' and patients' opinions regarding in-patient care for suicidal patients

This study explores psychiatric nurses' and patients' opinions regarding the care provided for in-patients who were admitted following: (i) depression as a result of psychosocial difficulty, (ii) suicidal ideation, or (iii) an overt suicidal behaviour. It also explores how care for such patients could be improved. A total of 20 psychiatric nurses and 17 in-patients were interviewed. The results show that nurses and patients believe that communicating with patients about their difficulties is the most important skill in psychiatric nursing. Most nurses were disappointed with the limited time they had available to communicate with patients and they were constructively critical of their pre-registration training in communication skills. Patients suggested that nurses should spend more time in helping to problem-solve their difficulties. Both nurses and patients suggest that situational factors impinge on the time available for psychotherapeutic care. Findings have implications for pre- and post-registration education and practice. Responses from both cohorts suggest how care could be improved.     

Meeting the needs of the modern mental health nurse: a review of a higher education diploma in nursing communication module

This paper sets out to review a higher education diploma in nursing communication module developed to meet the requirements of Making a Difference (Department of Health 1999a) and the National Service Framework for Mental Health (Department of Health 1999b). Mental health nursing literature would suggest that modern mental health nurses need to broaden their therapeutic communication skills as part of their professional development ( Minardi & Riley 1997). The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop a broader understanding of therapeutic communication skills as a prerequisite to good mental health nursing practice whilst recognising the value of emotional responses of self and others.This paper discusses the value of the module in developing clinically effective communication skills and contemplates the role of emotional labour and emotional intelligence within the therapeutic communication process. The module outlines how the teaching of therapeutic communication through an experiential approach offers the potential for students to develop skills and self-awareness through a reflective process. The contribution of reflection and emotional awareness as a fundamental element to the future development of sound practitioner skills is considered.