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War gives rise to mental health nursing
The annual commemoration of Anzac Day on 25 April serves as a powerful reminder of the rapid development of mental health nursing during World War I.
University of the Sunshine Coast Professor of Nursing Margaret McAllister said Anzac Day was an opportunity to honour the bravery of doctors and nurses during wartime and to recognise their pioneering work in treating psychological trauma.
“When we talk about remembering wartime heroes, I think nurses and doctors were among the biggest heroes,” she said. “They were often placed in very dangerous circumstances during war, and a lot of them died doing their duty.”
Professor McAllister said nurses in World War I had to treat soldiers who had suffered significant trauma, both physical and mental, at a scale that had never been experienced previously.
“All the mechanisms that these nurses put into place during wartime had some effect in helping soldiers let go of their horrific memories,” she said. “It was a powerful start to mental health nursing.
“The soldiers suffered horrible facial injuries and were having limbs removed, so their lives were forever changed. They were very obviously physically wounded, but they were psychologically wounded as well and needed compassionate care.
“In many cases, the nurses acted as surrogate mothers for the wounded soldiers.”
The sacrifice and bravery of nurses during World War I will be the focus of the University’s annual celebration of International Nurses Day on Saturday 8 May.
Director of the United Kingdom’s Centre for the History of Nursing and Midwifery, Dr Christine Hallett, will be the keynote speaker at this public event, which is aimed at past, present and future nurses.
Dr Hallett will discuss “Containing trauma in a world of chaos: nursing work in the First World War”.
The celebration from 1-5pm at the University campus at Sippy Downs will feature a variety of activities including a parade of nursing uniforms from the past 125 years, tours of USC’s state-of-the-art teaching facilities, and the opportunity for participants to record their memories and aspirations about nursing.
This year’s International Nurses Day also will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Florence Nightingale, regarded as the mother of modern nursing.
For more information about USC’s nursing celebration, contact Professor McAllister on (07) 5456 5032 or email <mmcallis@usc.edu.au>.
Information about the event is also on the USC website at <www.usc.edu.au/events>.
— Terry Walsh