Explore this section of Nursing Times for news and features about the history of nursing, including key figures from the profession’s past
The national chief nursing officer (CNO) for England has praised a student art project for celebrating nursing and confronting the “challenging areas” of the profession. Dame Ruth May has visited the Nursing Narrative exhibition which was created by second year fashion and textile pupils at West Suffolk College based in…
Nursing Times has featured in the latest series of Call the Midwife, spotlighting one of the first public campaigns by nurses to increase their pay. The BBC’s award winning period drama, which explores the working life of nurse-midwives working in London’s East End in the 1950s and 1960s, began its…
The Royal College of Nursing is to launch a new exhibition dedicated to the history of children and young people’s nursing. The new exhibition, Once Upon a Time, celebrates the historic contributions of children and young people’s nursing staff as well as championing their importance to the future of the…
A family who have collectively dedicated more than 60 years to working in the NHS have reflected on their contribution to the health service, ahead of their appearance in a prime time BBC show next week. The Edwards family, who have worked across a variety of roles and trusts in Nottinghamshire,…
A descendant of Florence Nightingale has spoken to Nursing Times about how he hopes the seminal nurse’s legacy will continue in the future as a charity he was running in her honour closes its doors. It was announced this month that the Nightingale Fund (NF) would be wound down and…
As vitro fertilisation (IVF) reaches a milestone in its history, Nursing Times investigates the changing role of fertility nurses and efforts to increase recognition of their key role as pioneers. In just over a week, the world’s first ‘test tube baby’ will turn 45. On 25 July, 1978, Louise Brown…
The original endowment raised to support Florence Nightingale's efforts in Crimea has been passed on to a new owner, after the charity acting as its caretaker is wound down. The Nightingale Fund (NF), which was originally set up to protect the pot of money first built up in the 1800s,…
A nurse invited to an NHS 75th anniversary event, where royals made a surprise appearance, has said it was a "huge honour" to be involved in the celebrations for the health service. Louie Horne, registered nurse and Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) clinical research fellow based at Ipswich and Colchester…
Decorated nurses, health leaders and the prime minister were among high-profile guests attending a service in London today honouring 75 years of the NHS. The ceremony, held at Westminster Abbey, was run by Dean of Westminster Dr David Hoyle, who “saluted” the achievements of all NHS staff over its three-quarters…
Like any 75-year-old, over its lifetime our health service has grown and matured, adapting to the changing world around it but showing clear signs of wear and tear. Workforce data demonstrates just how much the NHS has expanded since it was founded on 5 July 1948. Across England and Wales…
