The Ins and Outs of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing and the American Nurses Association

Abstract

A brief history of some of the work ofpsychiatric nurses within the American Nurses Association is presented in this article. Additionally, the authors identify the several efforts towardprofessionalization of the occupation of nursing that were made during the past half century. These efforts also spurred other clinical units within the American Nurses Association toward similar productivity. The development of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association as well as the subspecialty organizations is outlined.