Routledge The Politics of Nursing Knowledge

The Politics of Nursing Knowledge puts into context the historical factors which have shaped and sometimes limited the development of nurse education. Anne Marie Rafferty makes a critical reappraisal of Florence Nightingale's vision of nursing and looks at how training and policy-making have evolved from the origins of hospital reform in the 1860s to the start of the National Health Service in 1948.Highlighting the contemporary issues confronting all those in training, the book questions the extent to which nursing fits into the mould of both a profession and an academic discipline. Based on substantial new research, The Politics of Nursing Knowledge is a valuable resource for nursing students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Review 'Each page is profoundly thought-provoking...Those ignoring this book deprive themselves of an academic, professional and literary treasure. The nursing profession should feel indebted to its author.' - International History of Nursing Journal'Beautifully written. This book is the work of a true scholar.' - James P. Smith, Editor, Journal of Advanced Nursing'This book is well researched and presented, and provides an excellent contribution to the debates on nursing knowledge and the development of education and the nursing profession.' - Medical Sociology News From the Back Cover Based on substantial new research and drawing on government and professional records, The Politics of Nursing Knowledge looks at how nurse education has been shaped by wider social attitudes towards gender and class. In a critical reappraisal of Florence Nightingale's vision of nursing, Anne Marie Rafferty explores the implications of Nightingale's belief that nursing training should be regarded as an education of character rather than an intellectual discipline. Analysing the relationship between nursing and associated professions, the author traces the evolution of training and policy-making from the origins of hospital reform in the 1860s to the start of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948. Examining the contemporary issues affecting nursing, The Politics of Nursing Knowledge questions the extent to which the notion of a 'profession' is compatible with the career patterns and lifestyle opportunities of the majority of nurses, who are women. Looking to the future of nursing as an academic discipline, the final chapter asks whether an intellectually self-confident culture can emerge or whether the contradictions of professionalism and the health care system will prevent nursing from achieving its full potential. About the Author Anne Marie Rafferty is Director of the Centre for Policy in Nursing Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Research Associate at the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, University of Oxford.