Abstract
This study was undertaken to obtain information on the current and future development of psychiatric nursing in the community. The literature shows that mental illness was not recognised as a separate medical specialty until the nineteenth century, and that consequently the development of the companion specialty of psychiatric nursing is also of recent origin. As a result of changes in treatment patterns and in the legislation concerned with this type of illness psychiatric nursing services began to be offered to patients outside hospital. Accounts of the development of these services usually related to a particular scheme, and showed that there were differences of approach. A broad descriptive study was undertaken to determine the extent of these differences. All such services in existance in England and Wales at the. beginning of the study were identified. Information on the professional background and preparation of the staff involved, the operation of the services, and the views on the current and future development of this specialty were sought from all of the staff known to be undertaking this type of work through a postal Questionnaire. More detailed information on the day to day work of these services was obtained through the use of a Work Diary sent to a sample of respondents from the earlier stage of the study. The information contained in the diary was analysed as it related to the nurses, and as it related to the patients visited. The views of senior nursing staff at a stratified 1;10 sample of services were sought during semi-structured interviews concerned with the past, present and possible future organisation of these services. The differences indicated by the accounts in the literature were found to exist and two principal types of service are in operation. Conclusions are drawn, and their implications for the future development of the psychiatric nursing service are discussed. The need for further detailed research is considered.