Dr. Stephen Bradley – joins School of Nursing & Midwifery, UCC.

Newly appointed lecturer in mental health nursing joins School of Nursing & Midwifery, UCC. 

Stephen Bradley has recently taken up the position of Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing within the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery in UCC.  He brings experience gained through over twenty years in clinical practice in the UK; having worked with clients of all ages at one time or another.  However, his particular concern is with the issues confronting younger clients (approx. 15-25yrs) facing ‘mental health issues’.

He is a passionate believer in research and development that is grounded in the ‘real world’ and in encouraging mental health nurses at all levels to become involved in research and practice development.  To this end, he was a founder member of the mental health nursing research cluster at NUI Galway that brings together research active/interested academics and clinicians.  He is currently working with colleagues in Denmark to develop a Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research.  His own research is predominantly qualitative, focussing on client and staff accounts of healthcare experiences.  He is particularly influenced by discourse/narrative approaches and how the ‘post’ critiques (post-modernism, post-structuralism, etc.) can be applied to healthcare.

At a time of immense change, and challenge, for mental health services in Ireland, he is also interested in issues around how to encourage and support communities to become more ‘mental health friendly’.  To this end, he has been working for the last five years with Hope Trust, Co. Roscommon in developing workshops that aim to equip individuals and community groups to be better able to ‘care’ for family, friends and neighbours.

Mental health nursing at UCC challenges psychiatric nurses, and those in training, to think critically and creatively about their work with people experiencing mental health difficulties; with a particular emphasis on the principles and values of recovery – a key concept in mental healthcare delivery.   Courses facilitate nurses to engage with lifelong personal and professional development through flexible modes of learning. 

Graduate studies at the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery is characterised by its focus on research, innovation and student-centred learning.  This empowers students to become independent researchers, educators and clinical leaders, and to contribute to the development of the theoretical basis of practice, the evaluation of health care interventions and positive health care outcomes for patients and their families.

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