The College Archives
The Nursing Certificates
The Certificate of Proficiency in Mental Nursing was founded at the
Medico-Psychological Association Annual Meeting in 1890 and until
1921 was the only recognised qualification in mental nursing. A
separate certificate in Mental Deficiency Nursing was instituted in
1919 and a short-lived Occupational Therapy Certificate was
introduced in 1939. After negotiations with the General Nursing
Council, the examinations for these certificates were discontinued,
the last being held in 1951.
The College Archive of these examinations includes the
following items:
Handbooks
Handbook Committee reports and letters, 1937-52.
A series of nursing handbooks, not quite complete.
Syllabus
Syllabus for the Examinations for the Certificate of Proficiency in
Mental Nursing, November 1927; Syllabus for the Examinations for
the Certificate of Proficiency in the Nursing of Mental Defectives,
November 1927; Syllabus for the Examinations for the Certificate of
Proficiency in the Nursing of Mental Defectives, 1932; Occupational
Therapy: an Addendum to the Handbook for Mental Nurses, 1938.
Regulations
Regulations for the Training and Examinations for the Certificate
of Proficiency in Nursing and Attending on the Mentally Defective,
undated, before 1926; Regulations for the Training and Examinations
for the Certificate of Proficiency in Mental Nursing and in the
Nursing of Mental Defectives, revised February 1930, revised 1932;
Regulations and Rules for the Nursing Certificates, July 1938;
Regulations and Syllabus for the Certificate in Occupational
Therapy, 1939.
Question papers
Mental Nursing Preliminary and Final Examination and Mental
Deficiency Nursing Examination question papers, May 1928 - May
1938;
Mental Nursing Preliminary Examination question papers, May 1938 -
November 1949.
Mental Nursing Final Examination question papers, November 1938 -
November 1951.
Mental Deficiency Nursing Final Examination question papers,
November 1938 - November 1951.
Certificates
RMPA mental deficiency nursing certificates, proficiency in
psychological medicine certificates, diplomas in psychological
medicine, honorary fellowship, honorary members and corresponding
members certificates, some named.
Registers
These registers give the names of successful candidates, date of
examination, place of residence or examination centre, number on
register and the names of supervising doctor only. All the volumes
are indexed but in alphabetical order by the first letter of the
alphabet only. There is no cumulative index.
- Register of persons who have obtained the certificate of
proficiency in nursing, 1891-1951.
- Register of persons who have passed the preliminary examination
in nursing, 1938-49.
- Register of persons who have obtained the certificate of
proficiency in nursing mental defectives, 1919-51.
- Register of persons who have passed the preliminary examination
in nursing mental defectives, 1938-49.
- Register of persons who have passed the examination in
occupational therapy, 1939.
- Educational Committee register of chief examiners for the
mental nursing certificate, 1931-51.
Nursing badges and medals
Medals or badges (the term seems to have been used interchangeably)
were issued to successful examination candidates as
follows:
- Medals showing Psyche (representing the soul or spirit)
engraved with the successful candidates' numbers, issued
1893-1903
- Medals showing Psyche as above, engraved with the recipients'
name instead of their numbers, issued 1903-26 and with the words
'with distinction' added where appropriate.
- In 1926 the Medico-Psychological Association was granted a
Royal Charter and changed its name to the Royal
Medico-Psychological Association. The medals were then remodelled
to show the newly granted coat of arms instead of Psyche, 1926. An
optional blue ribbon could also be used from 1926 onwards.
- A badge or brooch for outdoor uniform was issued from
1928-1951. There was a different design for mental nurses and
mental deficiency nurses.
It is not known if medals were issued for the occupational
therapy examinations that the RMPA organised from 1939-47.
The College only has a few badges or medals, as follows:
- Medal showing Psyche, without a recipient's name, number or
distinction, issued 1893-1926
- Medal showing Psyche, with a recipient's name and with
distinction, issued 1903-26
- Medal showing the (R)MPA coat of arms, without a recipients
name and with space for a ribbon, issued 1926-51
- Medal showing the (R)MPA coat of arms, with a recipients name,
issued 1926-51
- Badges for outdoor uniform issued 1926-51 for the mental
nursing and mental deficiency nursing examinations.
Prizes
Campbell Clark Medal and Prize
This was instituted in 1933 in memory of Dr A Campbell Clark, who
had been very instrumental in promoting mental nurse training and
instituting the nursing certificate. It was awarded each year in
May and November to the candidate with the highest marks in the
final examination for the certificate. There is a Campbell Clark
medal but no correspondence or other administrative papers relating
to this among the nursing records.
Eleanor Finegan Prize
This was instituted by Dr Arthur Finegan in memory of his wife and
was originally awarded to the nurse, male or female, at the
Mullingar District Asylum, West Meath, Ireland, who had the highest
marks in the (R)MPA Examination for Mental Nursing. This was later
changed so that the Prize (worth £5 per annum) could be awarded to
the nurse with the highest mark in the examination wherever it was
held. There is one file among the nursing records containing: Copy
Trust Deed, 1913; correspondence of Dr Finegan, (R)MPA and Public
Trustee and instructions to Counsel on changing terms of Trust
Deed, 1947-8.
State registration
Extract from Council report, 1926; report on questionnaire, 1928,
report on mental defective nurse training, 1928 (all in one
pamphlet); letters on relations with the GNC, 1926-9; memos on
termination of the examinations, 1946-51. Shortage of mental
nurses: RMPA report and related memos and correspondence, 1953-6.
Disciplinary matters: Disciplinary Committee minutes and
correspondence on GNC, 1962-3.
Miscellaneous
Memo on nurses' examinations in mental deficiency, c1939; memo on
the present position regarding the appointment and duties of
examiners for the nursing examinations, c1939.
Pamphlets
Pamphlets, mostly not (R)MPA publications, relating to nurse
training 1868-1970.