Professional identity in community mental health nursing: A thematic analysis

Date
2008
Authors
Brown, Brian J.
Crawford, Paul
Majomi, Pamela
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
0020-7489
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Peer reviewed
Abstract
The study aimed to explore how community mental health nurses (CMHNs) UK perceived their working lives. This was subdivided into questions related to: How do nurses perceive their professional status in terms of public image compared with their understanding of their working lives? How does the relationship between professional aspirations and experiences of working life affect their feelings about their work and their self image? Background: In a rapidly changing organizational context CMHNs face the challenge of achieving a coherent professional identity. Method: An interview study was conducted and analyzed using semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis to identify categories and themes in 34 CMHN's accounts of their working lives. Findings: The data were classified into four major themes: (i) The client focus: the public service identity of the profession; (ii) Not being a profession: skepticism, doubt and uncertainty; (iii) Growing out of the role: professional development as exit strategy; (iv) Waiting to be discovered: the search for recognition. Conclusions: The metaphor of nurses searching for recognition has demonstrated its usefulness as a means of illuminating the quest undertaken by CMHNs to establish the legitimacy of their work, and achieve acknowledgment and appreciation. This underlies the search for professional identity in community mental health nursing.
Description
Keywords
community psychiatric nursing, qualitative research, professional identity
Citation
Brown, B.J., Crawford, P. and Majomi, P. (2008) Professional identity in community mental health nursing: A thematic analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 45. pp. 1055-1063.
Research Institute
Institute of Health, Health Policy and Social Care
Mary Seacole Research Centre