Dr. Peter Wolfensberger
Profile
Dr. Peter Wolfensberger Dozent
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Address
Berner Fachhochschule
School of Health Professions
Fachbereich Pflege
Murtenstrasse 10
3008 Bern
Activities
Responsibilities
Co-Leader of & lecturer in the specialisation programme Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) of the Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)
Researcher & member of the innovation field Mental Health and Psychiatric Mental Health Care
Elected lecturer representative of the Department of Health in the University Assembly of the Bern University of Applied Sciences
Research
Specialisations
Mental Health Care
Public Mental Health
LGBTQIA+ Health / Mental Health
Diversity & Inclusion
CV
Biography
- I have been working in various roles in the care sector for almost 30 years and have gained valuable experience in many areas of work. My encounters with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and with all kinds of different circumstances and lifestyles have always characterised me and motivated me in my work. The last 15 years were primarily spent in the field of psychiatry and mental health care, where I was particularly interested in the experiences of those affected and their individual ways of dealing with mental distress and illness. In my doctoral thesis, I therefore explored the question of how people with a mental illness organise their lives and deal with the real and potential effects of the illness. The findings of this work, the many experiences of my professional and personal life, combined with a broad spectrum of knowledge from the fields of nursing, psychiatry and psychology, form the basis of my professional and therapeutic work at Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bournemouth University and in my own practice (the latter until the end of September 2023).
Before I started my nursing career, I worked for the Swiss National Railways as a station manager and in the travel industry. In between, I lived in the USA for a while, where I worked with people with HIV and AIDS and was able to familiarise myself with the American healthcare system. I have been involved in the LGBTQIA+ community, to which I belong, since I was very young. I live with my long-term partner (officially my husband since September 2022) and our dog (also called Princess) in the beautiful Zurich Oberland/Tösstal and enjoy nature, music, football and much more.
Professional experience
- 09/2021 - present Lecturer Bern University of Applied Sciences
- 05/2021 - present Visiting Associate Bournemouth University, England
- 10/2020 - 07/2021 Head of Nursing Development Psychiatric Centre Spitalverbund Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- 08/2007 - 09/2020 Clinical Nurse Specialist / Nursing Specialist Manager Integrierte Psychiatrie Winterthur Zürcher Unterland
- 10/2004 - 07/2007 Nurse Specialist / Nursing Specialist Manager Zürcher Rehabilitationsklinik Wald ZH
- 02/2000 - 09/2004 Registered Nurse / Nurse Specialist (HöFa I) University Hospital of Zurich (USZ)
- 11/1997 - 01/2000 Registered Nurse Klinik Hirslanden, Zurich
Education
- 09/2012 - 07/2020 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Bournemouth University, England
- 01/2007 - 02/2012 Master of Science in Nursing (MScN) Cardiff University, Wales
- 03/2000 - 02/2002 Postgraduate Higher Education in Nursing Level 1 (HöFa 1) University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
- 10/1993 - 10/1997 Graduate Programme Registered Nursing (DN II) Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
Projects
Publications
Journal Articles & Book Chapters
MScN Dissertation and Reports
Wolfensberger Peter (2011). Homophobia in Nursing A critical interpretive synthesis Thesis type: Master's Thesis. Supervisors: Rees, C.. Cardiff University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 19 Oct 2011 (Thesis / Dissertation)
Wolfensberger Peter (2009). Promotion of health with the elderly population living at home in relation to prevention of depression. 01 Feb 2009. Cardiff University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University
Wolfensberger Peter (2008). From pattern appraisal to unitary appreciative inquiry - a critical reflection on the development of the unitary appreciative inquiry method 01 Apr 2008. Cardiff University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University (Report)
Wolfensberger Peter (2008). NANDA Nursing Diagnoses in Contemporary Mental Health Nursing Practice - Chance or Thread? 10 Nov 2008. Cardiff University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University (Report)
Wolfensberger Peter (2008). The concept of despair in nursing practice - a research critique. 21 Jan 2008. Cardiff University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Cardiff University
Conference Papers
Rühle Andersson, Sabine & Wolfensberger, Peter (2023) Co-production with service users in nursing education and beyond. In: Horatio Congress, European Psychiatric Nurses. Malta. 13 - 14 March 2023
Wolfensberger, Peter & Trenoweth, Steve (2023) Recovery 2.0 - Going beyond the rhetoric of personal recovery. In: Horatio Congress, European Psychiatric Nurses. Malta. 13 - 14 March 2023
Wolfensberger, Peter (2022). Wie Geschichten Wissen schaffen - Betroffene erzählen und kreieren Sinn. Keynote In: 17. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie. Wien, September 2022
Wolfensberger, Peter; Trenoweth, Steve (2022). Recovery 2.0 - Brauchen wir ein Update? In: 17. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie. Wien, September 2022
Laimbacher, Sabrina; Wolfensberger, Peter; Hahn, Sabine (2022). Zwischen den Zeilen lesen: APN-Entwicklung in der Psychiatrie. In: 17. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie. Wien, September 2022
Wolfensberger, Peter; Laimbacher, Sabrina; Hahn, Sabine (2022). Advanced Practice Nurses in der Psychiatrie - Inbegriff des Wandels. In: Swiss Congress for Health Professions. Neuchâtel, 01.09.2022-02.09.2022
Wolfensberger, Peter (2022) Sinn kreieren geht auch ohne Hoffnung - eine kritische Auseinadersetzung mit Recovery - oder was wir daraus gemacht haben. In: Fünfter internationaler Psychiatriekongress zu seelischer Gesundheit und Recovery. Bern, 16.06.2022-17.06.2022
Wolfensberger, Peter; Fischer, Susan (2022). Nurse Practitioner in der psychiatrischen Versorgung. In: Schweizer Pflegekongress 2022, SBK, Bern, 05.05.2022-06.05.2022
Wolfensberger P, Hahn S, van Teijlingen E, Thomas S (2020) Creating Meaning - People Living with Mental Illness in Switzerland. STTI 5th Biennial European Conference, Virtual / Coimbra - Portugal, 28 May 2020 - 29 May 2020. Editors: Lomba L, Parola V, Costa P, Feilzardo H, Santos M, Silva M, Neves M, Morgado T, Casaleiro T, Bernardes R . Book of Abstracts. Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 41 (1 page). 15 Jul 2020
Wolfensberger P, Thomas S, Hahn S, van Teijlingen E (2018) Experiences of people living with mental illness in Switzerland - a qualitative inquiry.
Horatio European Congress "Safe Settings", Faroe Islands, 10 May 2018 - 12 May 2018. Programme and abstract book. FPS, Faroese Psychiatric Nurses, Torshavn, Faroe Islands. 63-63. 09 May 2018Wolfensberger P (2017) Erfahrungen im Erleben und im Umgang mit der eigenen psychiatrischen Erkrankung: Die Stimme der Betroffenen. 14. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie, Bern, Switzerland, 05 Oct 2017 - 06 Oct 2017. Editors: Hahn S, Gurtner C, Burr C, Hegedüs A, Finklenburg U, Needham I, Schoppmann S, Schulz M, Stefan H . Verlag Berner Fachhochschule, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Forschung & Entwicklung / Dienstleistung Pflege, Bern, Wien. 236-238 (3 pages). 05 Oct 2017
Hegedüs A, Richter D, Wolfensberger P, Aquilante S (2016) Interventionsstudien als Link zwischen Forschung und Praxis - wie geht das? 13. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie, Bielefeld, Germany, 22 Sep 2016 - 23 Sep 2016. Editors: Schulz M, Schoppmann S, Hegedüs A, Gurtner C, Stefan H, Finklenburg U, Needham I, Hahn S . Vorträge, Workshops und Posterpräsentationen Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie. Verlag Berner Fachhochschule, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Forschung & Entwicklung / Dienstleistung Pflege, Bern, Switzerland. 122-124 (3 pages). 21 Sep 2016
Wolfensberger P (2016) Uncertainty in illness and personal recovery - experiences of people living with mental illness. STTI European Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands, 06 Jun 2016 - 08 Jun 2016. Conference Catalogue. 06 Jun 2016
Stadtmann, M., Mikic, I., Leuter, U., Wolfensberger P (2015) Pflegerische Fallführung in der ambulanten psychiatrischen Versorgung – ein Zukunftsmodell? Erfahrungen und Erkenntnisse aus Praxis und Forschung im Diskurs. 12. Dreiländerkongress Pflege in der Psychiatrie, Wien, Austria, 24 Sep 2015 - 25 Sep 2015. Editors: Schoppmann, S., Stefan, H., Hegedüs, A., Finklenburg, U., Needham, I., Schulz, M., Gurtner, C., Hahn, S. . Verlag Berner Fachhochschule, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Bern, Switzerland. 220-224 (4 pages). 20 Sep 2015
Minder, J., Wolfensberger P (2015) Betagte Psychosepatienten in Alters- und Pflegeheimen. Integrierte Psychiatrie im Diskurs, Winterthur, Switzerland, 19 Mar 2015 - 19 Mar 2015. Integrierte Psychiatrie im Diskurs. Integrierte Psychiatrie Winterthur - Zürcher Unterland. 14 (1 page). 01 Sep 2015
Wolfensberger P, Hahn S, Richter D, Schwarze T, Zuaboni G (2014) Zielorientierte psychiatrische Pflege (ORIENT) - Ergebnisse einer Pilotinterventionsstudie - Qualitative Ergebnisse. DGPPN Kongress 2014, Berlin, Germany, 26 Nov 2014 - 29 Nov 2014. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Nervenheilkunde. 26 Nov 2014
Wolfensberger P (2014) Uncertainty in illness and personal recovery. Horatio - European Festival of Psychiatric Nursing, St. Julians, Malta, 06 Nov 2014 - 09 Nov 2014. 06 Nov 2014
Wolfensberger P, Hahn, S., Richter, D., Schwarze, T., Zuaboni, G. (2013). Recovery oriented mental health nursing: a pilot Intervention study. Recovery-Focused Conference: Engagment in Life: Promoting Wellbeing and Mental Health, Bournemouth, UK, 06 Sep 2013
Language skills and intercultural knowledge
Language skills
- German - Native or bilingual proficiency
- English - Full professional proficiency
- Italian - Elementary proficiency
- French - Elementary proficiency
Intercultural knowledge
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America