Continuous observation

The case-history of a woman patient who has attempted suicide is used to illustrate the techniques of continuous observation. A sequence revealing the patient’s feelings enables the audience to understand them and also to share in the thoughts of the student who is nursing her. Later, in a group analysis, the Sister makes it clear that while text-book rules form a basis on which to work, real psychiatric nursing depends on the use of imagination to gain an insight into the patient’s problems.