title: The mental health component of the general nursing curriculum: a critical review of English National Board guidelines.
abstract: The role of the mental health component of general nurse training has been the source of much revision and controversy. Although advocates have proposed a psychiatric experience for general nurses for over thirty years it was only in 1977 following a directive from the General Nursing Council (GNC) that it became a compulsory part of general nurse education. However debate continues; it ranges from whether a specialist psychiatric placement has any academic or clinical merit at all to how issues relating to mental health should be addressed most constructively. After only 11 years the 1977 GNC guidelines changed once again making a distinct psychiatric placement no longer compulsory. This paper critically reviews current guidelines and places the debate once again firmly in the public arena.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Rentoul
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ritter
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006113:United Kingdom