| The intention of this study was to analyze the evolution of nursing history texts written in the United States by American nurse authors from the years 1907 to 1983. These years were chosen as they include the first published American nursing history text to the last published prior to the beginning of this study. This large time span was divided into three publishing periods: Origin; 1907-1920, Proliferation; 1921-1954 and Expansion; 1955-1983. The perimeters of these time periods are defined by the publication of significant nursing history texts which signalled changes in nursing practice and education. The titles of these periods also describe the publishing and narrative characteristics of the nursing history texts written during those years. The nursing trends elucidated in these texts reveal nursing's image of itself during those years as well as nursing's portrayal of its leaders through time.;The professional image of the nurse as portrayed in these texts is seen as parallel to the advance in nursing education and practice after World War II. The decline of the popularity of nursing history is correlated with the increased emphasis on science within nursing and society.;Each of the forty-six nursing history texts written within the limitations of this study was considered in relation to the author's nursing perceptions and personal beliefs as outlined in the prefaces of each text. The level of research, selection of nursing content, nursing audience as well as the narrative's reaction to external and internal variables were also considered. Historical research methodology was utilized with reliance on the texts themselves as primary sources. Living nurse historiographers also served as primary sources for the analysis of their more contemporary nursing history texts. As a result of nursing's accumulating complex history and progress in both nursing education and practice the need for a new format of nursing history texts is identified. Implications and recommendations for the future of nursing history texts are considered as well. |
