What is revisionist history? Well, it’s the integration of new pieces of information and perspectives into the histories that are known. I didn’t make it up, it is part of the historical research process. This is so because new pieces of information are found, new voices become part of the historical narrative and new interpretations happen all the time. And, it’s not just for academics, sociologists and historians. From the standpoint of a nurse who has worked in mental health services for the past 15 years, these works still hold up. And hopefully, one day, my research will also mean something to how we understand and think about mental health nursing in Canada.
Asylums – Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates
Stigma – Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity
As I write this, I think about something that I wrote more than a decade ago as part of my capstone course for my Master of Nursing degree. How far have we come in changing the system to remove stigma and other barriers for delivering care to people with substance use issues? I have grown as a person since my first article was published. But has the system, including the culture of the nurses within it grown? Are inpatient mental health nurses ready to integrate what should no longer be considered novel or innovative healthcare interventions like harm reduction into their day to day practice?
Love,
Michelle D.
nursingforsocialjustice 
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