![Stephen McKenna Lawson BA (Hons) PgDip MA Hons RMN](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/7190?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Mr Stephen McKenna Lawson
(he/him)
BA (Hons) PgDip MA Hons RMN
Teams and roles for Stephen McKenna Lawson
Doctoral Fellow
Research student
Overview
I am a mental health nurse, educator and early career researcher currently engaged in doctoral study.
In 2024 I received a Health and Care Research Wales Fellowship to undertake my doctoral research project (see below).
The CAMHbulance Study: How does the largest out-of-hospital emergency health service in Wales receive, respond and resolve mental health crises in young people?
Clinically, I have worked within psychiatic intensive care services for men & women and adolescents, Tier 4 residential care for children under-12 and within a specialist neuropsychiatry unit.
Wtihin education, I have lectured across nursing and other healthcare programmes at Swansea and Cardiff Universities, developing an interest in simulation-based education (SBE).
Between 2023 and 2024 I completed a part-time professional secondement to the Office of the Chief Nurse of Wales (CNO) looking at theexperiences within care of high risk, high harm, high vulnerability young people.
I am an alumnus of the NHS Staff College's Leadership programme.
Publication
2025
- Rooney, G., McKenna Lawson, S. and Coffey, M. 2025. Understanding therapeutic relationships in mental health nursing. In: Callaghan, P., Dickinson, T. and Felton, A. eds. Mental Health Nursing Skills. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, pp. 49-56., (10.1093/med/9780192864048.003.0006)
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2025. What is a mental health nurse? An auto-ethnography into a crucial, unstable and contentious identity. Presented at: 25th International MHNR Conference, RCN Headquarters, London, September 2019.
2024
- Wagstaff, C., Deering, K., Mckenna Lawson, S. and Colwell, L. 2024. Learning from media coverage of recent service failings in mental health care: A response from mental health nurse educators. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 31(1), pp. 52-54. (10.1111/jpm.12960)
- Hawker, C. et al. 2024. Designing & delivery of interprofessional education: Interprofessional falls simulation workshop. Presented at: Cardiff University Learning and Teaching Conference 2024 ‘How can we ensure our learning and teaching will deliver a better world for future generations?, Cardiff, Wales, 12 -13 September 2024.
2022
- McKenna lawson, S. 2022. Editorial: we need sustainability, not climate fatalism. Mental Health Nursing 42(4), pp. 2-2.
- Hurley, J., Lakeman, R., Linsley, P., Ramsay, M. and Mckenna-Lawson, S. 2022. Utilizing the mental health nursing workforce: a scoping review of mental health nursing clinical roles and identities. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 31(4), pp. 796-822. (10.1111/inm.12983)
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2022. How we say what we do and why it is important: an idiosyncratic analysis of mental health nursing identity on social media. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 31(3), pp. 708-721. (10.1111/inm.12991)
- McKenna Lawson, S. and Lord, E. 2022. A portrait of nursing as the key to everything: An idiosyncratic demonstration of how better understanding the largest caring institution can create meaningful change. Presented at: 28th International Mental Health Nursing Reseach Conference, St Catherine's College, Oxford, September 2022.
2021
- McKenna lawson, S. 2021. Editorial: prosperity, happiness, welfare, preservation and safety. Mental Health Nursing 40(6), pp. 2-2.
- McKenna Lawson, S., Petersen, T. and Davies, J. 2021. Preparing for placements: utilising simulation-based learning to explore auditory hallucinations & promote empathy during scenarios for 1st-year undergraduate learners in mental health nursing. Presented at: 14th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Online, 8-9 November 2021ICERI2021 Proceedings, Vol. 1. pp. 8257-8263., (10.21125/iceri.2021.1889)
2019
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2019. Editorial: art and therapy, all that matters is effectiveness. Mental Health Nursing 39(2), pp. 2-2.
2017
- McKenna Lawson, S. and Velmans, S. R. 2017. Person-centred care and person-centred caring: A crucial distinction. Presented at: 23rd International Mental Health Research Conference, Cardiff City Hall, Cardiff, September 2017.
Articles
- Wagstaff, C., Deering, K., Mckenna Lawson, S. and Colwell, L. 2024. Learning from media coverage of recent service failings in mental health care: A response from mental health nurse educators. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 31(1), pp. 52-54. (10.1111/jpm.12960)
- McKenna lawson, S. 2022. Editorial: we need sustainability, not climate fatalism. Mental Health Nursing 42(4), pp. 2-2.
- Hurley, J., Lakeman, R., Linsley, P., Ramsay, M. and Mckenna-Lawson, S. 2022. Utilizing the mental health nursing workforce: a scoping review of mental health nursing clinical roles and identities. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 31(4), pp. 796-822. (10.1111/inm.12983)
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2022. How we say what we do and why it is important: an idiosyncratic analysis of mental health nursing identity on social media. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 31(3), pp. 708-721. (10.1111/inm.12991)
- McKenna lawson, S. 2021. Editorial: prosperity, happiness, welfare, preservation and safety. Mental Health Nursing 40(6), pp. 2-2.
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2019. Editorial: art and therapy, all that matters is effectiveness. Mental Health Nursing 39(2), pp. 2-2.
Book sections
- Rooney, G., McKenna Lawson, S. and Coffey, M. 2025. Understanding therapeutic relationships in mental health nursing. In: Callaghan, P., Dickinson, T. and Felton, A. eds. Mental Health Nursing Skills. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, pp. 49-56., (10.1093/med/9780192864048.003.0006)
Conferences
- McKenna Lawson, S. 2025. What is a mental health nurse? An auto-ethnography into a crucial, unstable and contentious identity. Presented at: 25th International MHNR Conference, RCN Headquarters, London, September 2019.
- Hawker, C. et al. 2024. Designing & delivery of interprofessional education: Interprofessional falls simulation workshop. Presented at: Cardiff University Learning and Teaching Conference 2024 ‘How can we ensure our learning and teaching will deliver a better world for future generations?, Cardiff, Wales, 12 -13 September 2024.
- McKenna Lawson, S. and Lord, E. 2022. A portrait of nursing as the key to everything: An idiosyncratic demonstration of how better understanding the largest caring institution can create meaningful change. Presented at: 28th International Mental Health Nursing Reseach Conference, St Catherine's College, Oxford, September 2022.
- McKenna Lawson, S., Petersen, T. and Davies, J. 2021. Preparing for placements: utilising simulation-based learning to explore auditory hallucinations & promote empathy during scenarios for 1st-year undergraduate learners in mental health nursing. Presented at: 14th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Online, 8-9 November 2021ICERI2021 Proceedings, Vol. 1. pp. 8257-8263., (10.21125/iceri.2021.1889)
- McKenna Lawson, S. and Velmans, S. R. 2017. Person-centred care and person-centred caring: A crucial distinction. Presented at: 23rd International Mental Health Research Conference, Cardiff City Hall, Cardiff, September 2017.
Research
Beyond CAMHs-crisis and service design, organisation and delivery, my areas of interest inc:
- MHN theory & identity
- Philosophy/ies of care
- Developing/exploring novel perspectives, particulalry via complexity studies, systems thinking/theory and continental philosophy
- Questions of language, violence, power and ethics within MH care.
List of Publications can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen-Mckenna-Lawson
Biography
October 2024 – Present • Health and Care Research Wales Doctoral Fellow • Cardiff University • School of Health Sciences
September 2023 – October 2024 (P/T) • Professional Secondee, CAMHs • Office of the Chief Nurse • Welsh Government, Directorate of Nursing and Quality
November 2022 – October 2024 • Teacher, Mental Health Nursing • Cardiff University • School of Health Sciences
October 2020 – November 2022 • Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing • Swansea University • College of Human and Health Sciences
April 2020 - August 2020 • Clinical Charge Nurse • Bethlem Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
September 2019 - April 2020 • Staff Nurse • Acorn Lodge Tier-4 Unit • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
April 2019 - September 2019 • Staff Nurse • Office of the Chief Nurse • University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
September 2018 - April 2019 • Staff Nurse • Male and Female Psychiatric Intensive Care Units • East London NHS Foundation Trust
Honours and awards
- Heath and Care Research Wales Doctoral Fellow (2024)
Professional memberships
- Mental Health Nursing Association, Unite
Academic positions
- Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing, Swansea University (2020-2022)
- Teacher, Mental Health Nursing, Caardiff University (2022-2024)
Speaking engagements
- Chief Nursing Officer (Wales) Conference • 11th Proceedings • Cardiff, October 2023
- International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference (MHNR) • 28th Proceedings • Oxford, Sep 2022
- International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) • Digital Conference, November 2021
- International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference (MHNR) • Digital Iteration • Online, Sep 2020
- International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference (MHNR) • 25th Proceedings • London, Sep 2019
- International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference (MHNR) • 23rd Proceedings • Cardiff, Sep 2017
Committees and reviewing
- Public/professional reviewer, Research Wales RMS
- Reviewer, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
- Reviewer, Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Public/professional reviewer, National Institute of Health Research
Contact Details
Heath Park West (formerly Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)), Floor First, Room 1.02, Ty'r Garth, St Agnes Rd, Cardiff, CF14 4US
Research themes
Specialisms
- Implementation science and evaluation
- Mental health nursing
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- health service delivery
- Design for care