Developing the History of Nursing
An agenda for the future (as of April 2000)

The inspiration for the seminar
The inspiration for the seminar came from the belief that there is currently a major opportunity to explore the renaissance of the history of nursing. There is a wealth of information available but there is little co-ordination to accessing information about the history of nursing.

The history of nursing can, and should, play a vital role in education and practice. Many would argue that while the nursing curriculum has developed to respond to policy initiatives, some essential subjects have been put under pressure. The history of nursing has relevance to social policy, women's studies, and to health and politics and there is a strong case to reconsider its place within the educational curriculum.

Participants at the seminar focused on the information base, education, research and scholarship and made recommendations for the way forward to develop the history of nursing.

The seminar was funded by a generous donation from Dr Mona Grey, herself a nurse historian and formerly Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland.



Developing the Information Base

Issues related to developing the information base
A number of issues relating to the development of the information base need to be addressed for the wider benefit of nursing history research.
- There is a need to develop an effective, co-ordinated information base of sources for nursing history research in an international context.
- There is a concern that nursing history resources are hidden among collections of non-nursing material. This is a problem of classification and there is a need to reclaim nursing history from other subject areas.
- There needs to be more research into and publication concerning the use of nursing history sources. There is a dearth of research on nursing artifacts.
- The availability of sources needs to be publicised. Academic supervisors for nursing history research need to know where sources are to be found.
- There is a lack of research supervisors which is a limitation on research.

Defining the information base for the history of nursing
The information base for the history of nursing is made up of a number of collections of resources found in archives, museums and libraries. There is overlap between collections and, at present, there is no single overview of UK nursing history sources available. Those interested in the history of nursing often have difficulty in synthesising lists of resources from a wide variety of institutions.

An awareness of the major national collections is a starting point for a survey of the information base. The Public Record Office, the British Library and the Science Museum are the major repositories for nursing archives, publications and artifacts respectively.

Co-ordinated indexes of nursing history resources are limited. A researcher, for example, might start with the National Register of Archives and on-line hospital records. Nursing history bibliographies are limited in their scope. There is no overview of nursing artifacts in museums, the best available is a guide to UK medical museums.

Audio and visual records that best represent twentieth century information are divided between museums, libraries and archives.

The archivists, librarians, curators and historians of nursing need to be aware of the ethical dimension to research. In particular, accurate and inaccurate sources for the history of nursing need to be distinguished. The ethics of writing nursing history has received some coverage in the last decade by the American Association for the History of Nursing (Brown, 1993) but the ethics of nursing history research remain under-developed in the UK. The ethical codes covering professional practice in archives, libraries and museums need to be better known among nursing historians.

The inauguration in July of the United Kingdom Centre for the History of Nursing at Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh is a welcome development for the promotion of the discipline of nursing history by nurses and others. The Centre is shared equally by the RCN Archives and Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh.

Recommendations to develop the information base
- The United Kingdom Centre for the History of Nursing should commission a survey of nursing history sources.
- Nursing historians should use existing networks nationally and internationally to lobby for a better representation for nursing history in conference programmes, exhibitions and publications.
- A marketing strategy needs to be developed to publicise the existence of nursing history resources. The strategy should target: supervisors, graduate and undergraduate students, archivists, librarians and curators. The newly formed Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries should be approached for support.
- The History of Nursing Society, Royal College of Nursing is an influential organisation and there is a need to continue to promote membership beyond nurses.

Some medical students have the opportunity to undertake the study of the history of medicine and there is the possibility of undertaking an intercalated degree in the history of medicine.

Recommendations for the way forward
The constraints inherent in the present situation include:
- the current level of knowledge among teaching staff
- the limited knowledge at all levels among nurses, and others involved in planning programmes
- the implications of the new competencies currently proposed for  pre-registration programmes of nursing education. The following recommendations, to overcome these constraints, show a way forward.

Common Foundation Programmes
- There should be a careful review of the competencies to identify those which will be enhanced by the study of history.
- An outline of proposed syllabus content for the history of nursing should be identified. This will include broad concepts, which can contribute to the curriculum and support the competencies. Examples might include exploration of definitions of nursing and nursing work.
- Teaching and learning aids should be prepared which lecturers unfamiliar with the discipline can use.

Branch programmes
- The syllabus can most appropriately be focused around the history of the relevant branch discipline.
- Historical methods should be included in the research syllabus.
- Assessment should require students to use the literature to prepare and present an argument.

Post-registration/degree completion
- Expert teachers should involve students in investigative study using primary and secondary literature.

Postgraduate level
It is essential that the critical mass of research continues to develop and that the number of soundly prepared lecturers and researchers grows. There is a need for:
- scholarships and bursaries to support students seeking to attend relevant conferences and educational programmes
- every possible encouragement to potential postgraduate students.

Developing the education base
- Keep up the volume of publications in the International History of Nursing Journal and other relevant journals.
- Seek financial support for selected ventures, for example, the production of teaching aids.
- Seek financial support in the form of bursaries to facilitate attendance at relevant courses and conferences, for example, the postgraduate diploma.
- Consider a collaborative website and include information about funding opportunities for history of nursing.
- Establish a communication network.
- Promote and publicise relevant enterprises.
- Develop a collaborative approach to course planning for a future multi- institutional MA in the history of nursing.



Developing Research and Scholarship

Loss of history's place in the nursing curriculum
There is a need to re-establish the relevance of nursing history within the nursing profession. It is essential that recent changes are recorded, contextualised, and thoroughly understood - they must not be re-written, distorted, devalued or politically managed.

Effective use should be made of oral history. The RCN's oral history collection and their on-going project may help address this problem.

Working with related disciplines
The wider academic community in nursing history research contributes valuable interdisciplinary viewpoints, as has already occurred in the history of medicine. The value of working collectively with other fields provides 'connectedness'.

Nursing history has to face up to a number of rigorous, non-nursing challenges including, for example, the Research Assessment Exercise, and curriculum constraints. The quality of the work by nurses in nursing history must be capable, therefore, of attracting the same ratings as other areas of historical study. This will enable universities to see its development as a separate subject area.

Related fields include political, social and gender history, anthropology, social studies and medical history, and informal history groups studying the changing roles of women.

The value of nursing history to nursing itself should be better promoted to demonstrate its contemporary relevance, and its contribution to establishing a strong professional identity. This must include a history of 'nursing' and not only the history of 'nurses' and the nursing profession.

The contribution of the history of nursing to research skills
As part of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), universities seek to boost their research performance. The history of nursing suffers as a result of being marginalised by the profession itself. The case for the history of nursing would be improved if it was stressed that it gave students increased skills in:
- creativity
- competence
- communication and discourse skills
- analytical ability
- objectivity
- ability to contextualise care.

Weaknesses in research and scholarship
- The body of knowledge is still relatively poor, particularly when compared with history of medicine - nevertheless, there is an increasing number of doctoral students addressing this, but many more are needed and require support!
- There is a dearth of nurse educators with adequate backgrounds in history theory and research methodology, to teach the subject at all levels.
- Supervision of research from within the profession is limited to a few individuals - this should improve as more doctoral students complete their studies.
- Lack of funding is a major factor limiting the pace and degree to which other issues can be addressed.

Recommendations to develop the research base
- Resources should be sought from charitable trusts to support bids to provide a secure financial basis.
- Inter-university projects and international joint bids should be considered to strengthen the research base.
- An academic 'Foundation' would provide a recognised focus for funding applications.
- The creation of a Chair in History of Nursing, at an established university would provide the necessary academic weight for the discipline. A feasibility study should be conducted to explore the idea.
- Research into the history of nursing should be incorporated into the faculty's RAE where relevant.
- Research findings should be disseminated to ensure the profession is aware of the major contribution to scholarship made by research into the history of nursing.



Conclusion

The seminar achieved its aims and was particularly successful in enabling participants to share experiences and establish networks. The outcomes of the group discussions will, undoubtedly, contribute to raising the profile of the history of nursing and setting out a clear agenda for future development. It was agreed that a future seminar, in three years time, will monitor this agenda and will assess progress in achieving these goals.


References
Brown, J. (1993) Ethical Considerations in Historical Research, American
Association for the History of Nursing Bulletin, 38, pp.1-2.


NAME Dr Eric Gruber von Arni, RRC, RGN, PhD
MAILING ADDRESS 11 Park Lane, Swindon, Wilts., SN1 5HG
TELEPHONE 01793 533255
FAX -
EMAIL eegva@aol.com
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Military nursing historian.

NAME OF ORGANISATION British Red Cross Society
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Pamela Tawse
MAILING ADDRESS Keeper's Cottage, Painswick Old Road, Stroud, Glos. GL6
7QN
TELEPHONE 01453 758420
FAX -
EMAIL -
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Care in crisis - health and social care - in the
UK and globally.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Collected Works of Florence Nightingale
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Professor Lynn McDonald
MAILING ADDRESS Dept. of Sociology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
TELEPHONE 519-824 4120 ext 6516
FAX 519-837 9561
EMAIL lynnmed@uoguelph.ca
WEBSITE ADDRESS fnightingalefnightingale.html http://www.sociology.uoguelph.ca/
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION To produce the Collected Works of Florence Nightingale.

NAME OF ORGANISATION English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Tony Smith, CBE
MAILING ADDRESS 170 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0HA
TELEPHONE 020 7391 6229
FAX 020 7383 3525
EMAIL nwardley@enb.org.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS www.enb.org.uk
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Statutory body ... in the education and training of nurses, midwives and health visitors. In addition, ensuring that the
UKCC's standards for the supervision of midwives, midwifery/ practice are met.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Florence Nightingale Foundation
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Mary Spinks
MAILING ADDRESS Suite 3, 38 Ebury Street, London SW1W 0LU
TELEPHONE 020 7730 3030
FAX 020 7730 6262
EMAIL -
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.florence-nightingale-foundation.org.uk
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION To promote excellence in nursing and health care through scholarship.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Florence Nightingale Museum
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Alex Attewell
MAILING ADDRESS 2 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EW
TELEPHONE 020 7620 0374
FAX 020 7928 1760
EMAIL alex@florence-nightingale.co.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION The Florence Nightingale Museum aims to grow as an accessible national and international centre for promoting an understanding of Florence Nightingale's contributions to nursing and health services.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Florence Nightingale Museum
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Helen Sellars
MAILING ADDRESS 2 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EW
TELEPHONE 020 7620 0374
FAX 020 7928 1760
EMAIL helen@florence-nightingale.co.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION A national and international centre for promoting an understanding of Florence Nightingale's contributions to nursing and health services.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Wilma MacPherson
MAILING ADDRESS Nursing Dept., St Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH
TELEPHONE 020 7928 9292 ext 3037
FAX -
EMAIL wilma.macpherson@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Healthcare provision.

NAME OF ORGANISATION London Metropolitan Archives
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Bridget Howlett
MAILING ADDRESS 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R 0HB
TELEPHONE 020 7332 3820
FAX 020 7837 4306
EMAIL lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/archives/lma
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION To preserve and make available for research 32 miles of archives relating to the history of London, including extensive holdings on the history of nursing.

NAME OF ORGANISATION The National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Professor Oliver D'A Slevin
MAILING ADDRESS Centre House, 79 Chichester Street, Belfast, NI BT1 4JE
TELEPHONE 01232 238152
FAX 01232 333298
EMAIL slevin@nbni.n-i.nhs.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS www.n-i.nhs.uk/NBNI/index.htm
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION The NBNI is the statutory body for nursing, midwifery and health visiting in NI and is therefore responsible for the carrying forward of the approval and monitoring of all institutions and courses.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Oxford Brookes University
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Helen Sweet
MAILING ADDRESS Humanities Research Centre, Headington Hill Campus, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP
TELEPHONE 01865 484823
FAX 01865 484082
EMAIL hmsweet@brooks.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/humanities/medicine.hTml
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Higher education and research.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Barbara Mortimer
MAILING ADDRESS Clerwood Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 8TS
TELEPHONE 0131 317 3565
FAX 0131 317 3573
EMAIL bmortimer@qmuc.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.qmuc.ac.uk/hn/history
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Higher education.

NAME OF ORGANISATION Royal College of Nursing
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Susan McGann
MAILING ADDRESS Archives, 42 South Oswald Road, Edinburgh EH9 2HH
TELEPHONE 0131 662 1010
FAX 0131 662 1032
EMAIL susan.mcgann@rcn.org.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS http://www.rcnscotland.org
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Professional organisation.

NAME OF ORGANISATION RCN History of Nursing Society
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Edith R. Parker
MAILING ADDRESS 71 St Peter's Close, Newbury Park, Ilford, Essex IG2 7QN
TELEPHONE 020 8590 5375
FAX 020 7647 3740 - Nikki Shilson, RCN
EMAIL -
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION - Provide a forum for those interested in, and concerned about, the history of nursing.
- Support and encourage research.
- Support educationalists involved in teaching history.
- Encourage the preservation of records.
- Encourage inclusion of the history of nursing in nursing curricula.
- Support the International History of Nursing Journal.

NAME Professor David Rye OBE FRCN
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON
MAILING ADDRESS 67 Sutton Avenue, St Johns, Woking, Surrey GU21 1TS
TELEPHONE 01483 475501
FAX -
EMAIL -
WEBSITE ADDRESS -

NAME OF ORGANISATION South Bank University
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Stephanie Kirby
MAILING ADDRESS Essex Campus, Harold Wood Education Centre, Harold Wood
Hospital, Harold Wood RM3 0BE
TELEPHONE 020 7815 5950
FAX 020 7815 5906
EMAIL kirbysab@sbu.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS www.sbu.ac.uk/health/
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Teaching, and research, and professional development.

NAME OF ORGANISATION University of Leeds - School of Healthcare Studies
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Tom C. Keighley
MAILING ADDRESS 18 Blenheim Terrace, Leeds LS2 9HD
TELEPHONE 0113 2331432
FAX 0113 2331433
EMAIL p.r.carpenter@leeds.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS www.leeds.ac.uk/healtcare/
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Education, research and training.

NAME OF ORGANISATION University of Stirling
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Charles Carr, Senior Teaching Fellow
MAILING ADDRESS Dept. of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling
FK9 4LA
TELEPHONE 01786 466351
FAX 01786 466333
EMAIL c.p.m.carr@stir.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Educational - Diploma course (CFP and Branches); first Degree courses; Master's courses; PhD courses.

NAME OF ORGANISATION University of Ulster
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Dr Kate Sullivan
MAILING ADDRESS Room 12J14, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
BT37 0QB
TELEPHONE 028 9036 8857
FAX 028 9036 8202
EMAIL ka.sullivan@ulst.ac.uk
WEBSITE ADDRESS www.ulst.ac.uk/
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Higher education.

NAME OF ORGANISATION National Board for Scotland for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON Rosemary Weir
MAILING ADDRESS R Weir personal address: 35 Greenholm Avenue, Clarkston, Glasgow G76 7AJ
TELEPHONE 0141 644 2141
FAX -
EMAIL -
WEBSITE ADDRESS -
PURPOSE OF ORGANISATION Researcher NBS/RCN (Scottish Board).


The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries. (Until 20 April 2000 was known as: the New United Museums, Libraries and Archives Council)