Aspects of the recruitment, training and post-certification experiences of general hospital nurses in England, 1881-1914
This thesis is a study of general hospital nurses in England, 1881-1914. It concentrates on the experiences of the rank and file nurse, rather than the 'politics' of the occupation. Using original hospital records and oral evidence collected for this study, this thesis examines why it was that some women chose Nursing in preference to other areas of contemporary work for women, and what type of woman made that choice. The formal and informal training processes are discussed to demonstrate the distinctions made by contemporaries between Nursing Theory and Practice, and between Nursing Science and Art. These features of Nursing are examined for the ways in which they served to explain contemporary nursing tasks and roles. The award of a hospital certificate to the trained general nurse is seen as a mark of occupational prestige and as a reward for undergoing the training processes. The occupation status accorded the general hospital trained nurse is demonstrated by reference to the postgraduate career choices of contemporary nurses and by reference to contemporary literature and nurse-characterisations therein. The thesis is, therefore, a preliminary attempt to reorientate historical overviews of the 'development'
Maggs, Christopher
History
Aspects of the recruitment, training and post-certification experiences of general hospital nurses in England, 1881-1914. This thesis is a study of general hospital nurses in England, 1881-1914. It concentrates on the experiences of the rank and file nurse, rather than the 'politics' of the occupation. Using original hospital records and oral evidence collected for this study, this thesis examines why it was that some women chose Nursing in preference to other areas of contemporary work for women, and what type of woman made that choice. The formal and informal training processes are discussed to demonstrate the distinctions made by contemporaries between Nursing Theory and Practice, and between Nursing Science and Art. These features of Nursing are examined for the ways in which they served to explain contemporary nursing tasks and roles. The award of a hospital certificate to the trained general nurse is seen as a mark of occupational prestige and as a reward for undergoing the training processes. The occupation status accorded the general hospital trained nurse is demonstrated by reference to the postgraduate career choices of contemporary nurses and by reference to contemporary literature and nurse-characterisations therein. The thesis is, therefore, a preliminary attempt to reorientate historical overviews of the 'development'
aspects recruitment train post certification experience general hospital nurse england study general hospital england concentrate experience rank_file nurse rather politics occupation using original hospital record oral_evidence collect study_examines woman choose nursing preference area contemporary work woman type woman make choice formal_informal training process discuss distinction_make contemporary nursing theory_practice nursing science art feature nursing examine_way serve explain contemporary nursing task role award hospital certificate train general nurse see mark occupational prestige reward undergo training process occupation status accord general hospital train nurse demonstrate reference postgraduate career choice contemporary nurse reference contemporary literature nurse therein therefore preliminary attempt historical_overview development