The impact of political transition on psychiatric nursing--a case study of twentieth-century Ireland

Using psychiatric nursing education and practice as a case study, this paper examines how the achievement of independence by a nation impacts significantly on the organisations, structures and service provision within that country. Furthermore, it sheds light on how an emerging nation is required to engage in a series of 'trade-offs' between priorities in an attempt to ensure progress towards the greater visioning goals such as the (re)establishing of a national cultural identity, freedom to practice religious beliefs and enhanced economic and practical benefits for all citizens. In the case of Irish psychiatric nursing, the achievement of independence resulted in a diminishing of earlier initiatives related to training and ultimately in a prolonged period of retrenchment, due primarily to competitive pressures and to imposed cultural influences and belief systems. The lesson from this Irish case study indicates that the initial phase of national autonomy can, of necessity, lead to a number of sacrifices as part of the realisation of self-governance and determination; and that this is a necessary prerequisite to gaining the strength to enable a much more confident progression into the future.