Psychiatric nurses are subjected to considerable stress in working with highly disturbed patients. Both nurses and patients will benefit if nurses have a better understanding of the psychodynamics of the interaction.

Managers in the Mental Health Unit at St George's Hospital were aware of low morale and high levels of stress among nurses and invited a psychotherapeutic input for nurses. A one-year course was set up to introduce nurses to psychodynamic principles. This paper includes a description of the course and an evaluation of the effect of the experience on the nurses' work with patients in general psychiatry.

Results show that the amount of individual and group work done with psychiatric patients does not change. There are significant changes in the nurses' confidence, competence, and understanding of their work.