The Nurse in the University: A History of University Education for South African Nurses: A Case Study of the University of the Witwatersrand

This paper charts the history and debates surrounding the introduction of academic, university-based training of nurses in South Africa. This was a process that was drawn out over five decades, beginning in the late 1930s. For nurses, university training was an important part of a process of profess...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Simonne Horwitz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2011-01-01
Series:Nursing Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/813270
Description
Summary:This paper charts the history and debates surrounding the introduction of academic, university-based training of nurses in South Africa. This was a process that was drawn out over five decades, beginning in the late 1930s. For nurses, university training was an important part of a process of professionalization; however, for other members of the medical community, nursing was seen as being linked to women's service work. Using the case-study of the University of the Witwatersrand, one of South Africa's premier universities and the place in the country to offer a university-based nursing program, we argue that an historical understanding of the ways in which nursing education was integrated into the university system tells us a great deal about the professionalization of nursing. This paper also recognises, for the first time, the pioneers of this important process.
ISSN:2090-1429
2090-1437