SYMPOSIUM ON

EARLY HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL

HEALTH NURSING

INTRODUCTION

Although the specialty of psychiatric mental health

nursing is now well integrated into main stream nursing

practice, it retains a unique history.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:

19th century : the need for psychiatric mental health

nursing was recognized.

1882 : The first school of nursing in a psychiatric

setting was established at McLean Hospital.

In 1913, the first nurse – organised programme of study for psychiatric training by Euphemia (Effie) Jane Taylor at Johns Hopkins Phipps Clinic started.

1920 : first psychiatric nursing text book “Nursing Mental Disease” by Harriet Baily is published.

1937 – the first

psychiatric nurse

in the USA was

Linda Richards.

1952 – of Hildegarde

Peplau’s interpersonal

relations in nursing.

1954 – first graduate program in psychiatric nursing established at Rutger’s university by Hildegarde E. Peplau.

1963 – Perspectives in psychiatric care and

journal of psychiatric nursing published.

1973 : Standards of psychiatric mental health nursing practice

published.

1979 : Issues in mental health nursing published.

1982 : Mental health nursing practice published by the ANA.

1987 : Archives of psychiatric nursing and journal of child and

adolescent psychiatric and mental health nursing published.

1995 : JAPNA published.

2000 : Revised scope and standards of psychiatric mental

health clinical nursing practice published by ANA.

2003 : Certification of psychiatric nurse practitioners by ANA.

PEPLAU’S HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

1773 – 1881 : Psychiatric nursing did not exist as such. Psychiatric care was generally custodial and harsh.

1992 – 1994 : Mental health nurses were trained and introduced into mental health facilities.

New methods of treatment.

Mental hygiene movement began and emphasized prevention and more humane treatment.

Nurses played a subordinate and custodial role as manager of the ward and keepers of the keys.

Psychiatric nurse’s training did not include much psychology or psychiatry.

1915 – 1935 : The number of undergraduate programs, including courses in psychiatric nursing increased to half the existing programs.

The first psychiatric nursing text book was published.

Some training at the post graduate psychiatric nurses was given in psychiatric hospitals.

1936 – 1945 : Three universities offered courses in postgraduate psychiatric nursing education.

The establishment of the Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Project within the National League for Nursing Education brought psychiatric nursing into the mainstream of nursing.

1946 – 1959 : Post-graduate education in psychiatric nursing was firmly established.

The National League for Nursing assumed responsibility for the accreditation of psychiatric nursing curricula.

PSYCHIATRIC NURSING IN INDIAN CONTEXT

• Psychiatric patients were considered as sinners.

• 1912 - Indian Lunacy Act came into force.

• 1918 - Britishers had constructed a European Mental Hospital at Ranchi.

• In 1950, based on the Bhore committee’s (1948) recommendations, four more mental hospitals were started.

• In 1956, C.A.M. Verbeek, WHO consultant started a one year programme of diploma in psychiatric nursing at NIMHANS at Bangalore.

• 1962, the then Mysore Government started a nine month course in Psychiatric Nursing for male nurses.

• 1961, ICN included psychiatric nursing in the basic nursing

curriculum.

• 1966, two male nurses and in 1969, six more female nurses

were sent to UK to gain skill in occupational therapy.

• 1967, TNAI, formed a separate committee for psychiatric

nursing.

• 1976, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, New Delhi

started a specialization course in Psychiatric Nursing at the

Master’s level of nursing education.

• 1988, NIMHANS Bangalore started permitting nurses to register for Ph.d. in psychiatric nursing.

• 1987, The Indian Lunacy Act of 1912 was revised.

• 1989, Revised syllabus for GNM which gives more importance for psychiatric nursing.

• National consortium for Ph.D in nursing (2005) by INC affiliated with RGUHS sponsored by WHO calls for nurses to register for Ph.D in nursing.

CONCLUSION

In the nursing curriculum in India, there was earlier no component of psychiatric nursing. Today psychiatric nurses, work not only in mental hospitals, but also in child guidance centres, deaddiction centres half way homes, oldage homes and in foster homes for the destitute and mentally retarded.