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    Hearing voices : the gendered nature of mental health practices in New Zealand in the 1920s and 1940s : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Master of Arts in Women's Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2007) Adams, Glennys Elaine
    This thesis asks what insights can be gained from the oral histories of mental nurses and attendants about the gendered nature of mental health practices in New Zealand in the 1920s - 1940s. Previously recorded interviews provided the primary texts for analysis. In considering both their oral accounts and memories as constructions, feminist poststructuralist models are used to study the nurses' and attendants' experiences. Utilising gender as an analytical tool meant that the narrators' memories were understood as the gendered products of the interconnections between the practices and discourses of culture and individual subjectivity, and that gender was implicated in the practices and production of power in mental institutions. Discourse theory and practices provided the conceptual framework and methodology for an analysis that regarded knowledge as residing in and produced by discourses. By studying the different constructions of female nurses and male attendants in discourses of mental nursing it was possible to recognise how these representations legitimised and privileged particular kinds of knowledge and power. Contextualising the narratives socially and culturally enabled consideration of how the nurses and attendants reproduced dominant discourses of femininity and masculinity in circulation at the time they were working. The findings point to the way in which powerful discourses of gender predicated on the separation of women and men respectively into private and public spheres, intersected with gendered assumptions of mental illness and mental nursing. The oral testimonies show that the female nurses were situated between the paradigms of these discourses, but because subjectivities are not fixed and immutable, they adopted different and changing positions in relation to them at different times. Although it is argued that discourses of gender did shape the subjectivities of the nurses and attendants and were employed to support gendered institutional practices this was more complex than first appears. The voices of the female nurses can be heard sometimes embracing, sometimes resisting and sometimes transgressing gender norms.
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    A qualitative exploration of environmental and relational factors affecting service user involvement from the perspective of community mental health nurses : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Nursing at Massey University, Palmerston North Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Brown, Vicky Keryn
    Mental health policy and clinical guidelines require service user involvement principles within clinical practice and service provision, yet few national studies exist to examine Mental Health Nurse’s (MHNs) viewpoints about its implementation. This qualitative research project asks the question ‘What are the environmental and relational factors which affect service user involvement in community mental health team settings from the perspectives of community MHNs?’ The research aims were: (1) Explore how the practice environment supports service user involvement; (2) Explore how they include, or not, service users in the provision of care; and, (3) To discuss how the group of community MHNs recognise and describe service user involvement. Central ethics approval was gained and eight community MHNs in two District Health Board’s (DHBs) with over 5 years experience were interviewed. Participant’s discussion was audio taped, transcribed and then analysed utilising a thematic analysis approach. From this analysis, two predominant themes arose. Theme one highlights the ‘relationship dynamics of practice’ through exploration of concepts of historical changes; conflicting relationships, influential attitudes and powerlessness. Theme two explores ‘strength based approaches’ from the participants perspectives and includes recovery; inclusive practices; challenging stigma and beliefs towards service user involvement. Mutual agreement about the benefits of service user involvement was identified. However, changes to funding, hierarchical mental health organisations, nurses’ education, stigmatising attitudes and lack of nursing identity have impacted on the implementation and support of service user involvement. Recommendations for further research and suggestions for nursing practice are offered through building nursing capacity, capability, quality and strengthening the profession.