Gender and professional identity in psychiatric nursing practice in Alberta, Canada, 1930–75

Abstract

This paper examines gender-specific transformations of nursing practice in institutional mental health-care in Alberta, Canada, based on archival records on two psychiatric hospitals, Alberta Hospital Ponoka and Alberta Hospital Edmonton, and on oral histories with psychiatric mental health nurses in Alberta. The paper explores class and gender as interrelated influences shaping the work and professional identity of psychiatric mental health nurses from the 1930s until the mid-1970s. Training schools for nurses in psychiatric hospitals emerged in Alberta in the 1930s under the influence of the mental hygiene movement, evolving quite differently for female nurses compared to untrained aides and male attendants. The latter group resisted their exclusion from the title 'nurse' and successfully helped to organize a separate association of psychiatric nurses in the 1950s. Post-World War II, reconstruction of health-care and a de-institutionalization policy further transformed nurses' practice in the institutions. Using social history methods of analysis, the paper demonstrates how nurses responded to their circumstances in complex ways, actively participating in the reconstruction of their practice and finding new ways of professional organization that fit the local context. After the Second World War more sophisticated therapeutic roles emerged and nurses engaged in new rehabilitative practices and group therapies, reconstructing their professional identities and transgressing gender boundaries. Nurses' own stories help us to understand the striving toward psychiatric nursing professionalism in the broader context of changing gender identities and work relationships, as well as shifting perspectives on psychiatric care.

An Analysis of Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing through the Junctures of History, Gender, Nursing Education, and Quality of Work Life in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan

“…Boschma et al [9] examined nurses' stories that further the understanding of the development of PMHN in Alberta. RN status was recognized as being desirable for PMHN and could be achieved by mental health nurses by taking an extra 18 months of training in a general hospital after completing 2 years in a psychiatric hospital.…”

“…Historically, the deinstitutionalization trend that began in the 1960s resulted in many persons with mental illness being released into the community where a serious lack of mental health services prevailed [9]. This led to a significant portion of individuals with mental illness to become imprisoned in jails or detention centers with limited access to mental health care.…”

“…This led to a significant portion of individuals with mental illness to become imprisoned in jails or detention centers with limited access to mental health care. Additionally, a revolving door phenomenon occurred where previously institutionalized individuals were readmitted into acute psychiatric care settings [9]. …”

Teaching Professionalism by Vignettes in Psychiatry for Nursing Students.

“…(16) To facilitate discussion and modelling of professional values in nursing education and clinical practice, the abstract attributes of professionalism have to reflected in tangible behaviours (Green et al 2009). (16) Few studies discussed teaching professionalism in nursing education (Chiovitti 2015;Ghadirian et al 2014;Castell 2008), (18,19,20) particularly in psychiatry (Boling 2003;Boschma et al 2005). (9,21) This study reported professionalism education to nursing students in an Arabian context.…”

“…(16) Few studies discussed teaching professionalism in nursing education (Chiovitti 2015;Ghadirian et al 2014;Castell 2008), (18,19,20) particularly in psychiatry (Boling 2003;Boschma et al 2005). (9,21) This study reported professionalism education to nursing students in an Arabian context. As indicated above, professionalism is culture-specific and its attributes in the Arabian context was linked to core values and faith.…”