Nursing Section

Introduction

The Nursing Section of the Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the NHS (APP) was formed in mid-1993, following an invitation from Dr.Lawrence Goldie and other members of the APP council who wanted to see nursing more clearly represented within the APP.

The section was originally composed of a small number of nurses who had experience in working in an analytically-informed way and who wanted to promote this way of thinking, to demonstrate its efficacy, and to support those nurses already working in this way. The section believes that the introduction of psychodynamic understanding into nursing makes nursing more human and more meaningful for both nurse and patient and the nurse-patient relationship becomes potentially more powerful as a therapeutic tool.

In addition, we believe that a psychodynamic understanding of the interpersonal dynamics which take place in any therapeutic milieu, can help staff understand how the internal world of staff and patients dynamically interweave, having effects at intrapsychic, interpersonal, group and community levels of functioning. An appreciation of these dynamics and attempts to explore, unravel and understand them, can be of therapeutic value to both staff and patients.

Current Subcommittee Membership

The development of the Nursing Section is being taken forward by a core group:

Stephen Mackie - Chairperson of the Section and the current representative on the APP Council. Consultant Forensic Nurse Psychotherapist, Portman Clinic, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

Charlie McGrory – Deputy Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Thames Valley University.

Christine Daniel – Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies, HIV/ Sexual Health, West Sussex NHS Trust.

Violetta Melguizo – Nurse and Psychotherapist, Gordon Hospital, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.

3. Activities

The aims of the group are:-

1. To disseminate psychoanalytic concepts among nurses and enable them to apply these to their thinking and practice.

2. To promote support structures for nurses in the utilisation of these ideas.

3. To provide a social space for informal networking, where contact can be made with other nurses struggling with these ideas.

4. To develop a body of nursing knowledge and practice that is psycho-dynamically informed.

5. To act as a pressure group in the promotion and development of these aims.

We have attempted to meet these aims in a number of ways over the years through monthly seminars that have comprised of :-

·         A Theoretical Seminar (in which an invited member presents a paper or theoretical perspective)

·         A Journal Club meeting (in which a member agrees to circulate beforehand and present in a summary form, a paper for further discussion and exploration by the meeting members)

·         A Work Discussion Seminar (in which an aspect of work is presented by a member for exploration and discussion using a psychodynamic framework.

·         A Social Meeting (in which members are encouraged to bring along a bottle and some food for a more informal gathering and discussion)

Initial contact to the committee

Stephen Mackie: Tel: 020-7794-8262

Email: smackie@tavi-port.nhs.uk