The development of trade union activity among nurses in Britain, 1910-76
This thesis examines the uneven development of trade union activity among hospital nurses in Britain between 1910-1976, within a 'situated' materialistic perspective on union growth. It is argued that both professionalism and unionism developed as a result of the decay of traditional nursing ideology in its home base of the voluntary hospital, and the failure of its proponents to win total hegemony in areas where nursing reform spread, notably the asylums, workhouse infirmaries and private nursing. In explaining these developments due emphasis is given to both material changes in the labour process and the influence of 'subjective' predispositions that are the result of prior and continuing orientations, and of the extent to which wider economic and political conditions are favourable. Thus, the expansion of the medical division of labour in the 'acute-oriented' voluntary hospitals, involving the delegation of more tasks to subordinates, encouraged the development of professionalism; while in private nursing the attempt to realise the value of nursing as a commodity was the key material influence. However, in both instances the social background of recruits was also influential in determining that 'professional
Carpenter, Mick
HD Industries. Land use. Labor ; RT Nursing
The development of trade union activity among nurses in Britain, 1910-76. This thesis examines the uneven development of trade union activity among hospital nurses in Britain between 1910-1976, within a 'situated' materialistic perspective on union growth. It is argued that both professionalism and unionism developed as a result of the decay of traditional nursing ideology in its home base of the voluntary hospital, and the failure of its proponents to win total hegemony in areas where nursing reform spread, notably the asylums, workhouse infirmaries and private nursing. In explaining these developments due emphasis is given to both material changes in the labour process and the influence of 'subjective' predispositions that are the result of prior and continuing orientations, and of the extent to which wider economic and political conditions are favourable. Thus, the expansion of the medical division of labour in the 'acute-oriented' voluntary hospitals, involving the delegation of more tasks to subordinates, encouraged the development of professionalism; while in private nursing the attempt to realise the value of nursing as a commodity was the key material influence. However, in both instances the social background of recruits was also influential in determining that 'professional
development trade_union activity_among nurse britain examines uneven development trade_union activity_among hospital nurse britain within situated materialistic perspective union growth argue professionalism develop decay traditional nursing ideology home base voluntary hospital failure proponent win total hegemony area nurse reform spread notably asylum workhouse private nursing explain development due emphasis_give material change labour process influence subjective predisposition prior continue orientation extent wider_economic political_condition favourable thus expansion medical division_labour acute oriented voluntary hospital involve delegation task subordinate encourage development professionalism private nursing attempt realise value nurse commodity key material influence however instance social_background recruit also influential determine professional