Preregistration nursing education in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

The debate concerning nurses' diverse entry into practice was enlivened in 1995, when the American Nurses Association reaffirmed its contention that a baccalaureate degree was necessary for professional nursing practice. This debate may be informed by an appreciation of the educational routes taken by other countries that have changed from hospital-based to college-based nursing education. This paper describes and analyzes preregistration nursing education in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, from the late nineteenth century to the present. Nurses in Australia and New Zealand are currently educated entirely at the baccalaureate level. In the United Kingdom, nursing education is in the process of becoming completely university-based, resulting in a diploma or degree. In the United States, the majority of nurses graduate from two-year associate degree programs. This level of education, briefer than in the other countries described, potentially limits nurses' professional contributions.

Pretty and powerless: nurses in advertisements, 1930-1950.

Images of nurses in pictorial advertisements from all issues of hospital administration journals published in 1930, 1940, and 1950 (N = 598) were examined. Content analysis of the data was based on Goffman's classic 1979 study on gender advertisements. Nurses also were compared with other figures in the advertisements and nursing activities were described. Nurses were predominantly portrayed as female, young, eager to please, and without the appearance of wisdom. In group scenes, nurses were placed as subordinate to physicians and hospital administrators. Nurses in 1940 performed more complex, autonomous activities than in 1930 and 1950. These findings support previous research focused on more recent portrayals of women and nurses in communication media. The overt and subtle subordinate representation of nurses in these advertisements, compared with physicians and administrators, reveals one facet of nursing's heritage as a woman's profession.

American nursing scholars abroad, 1985-1995.

PURPOSE: To explore the international activities of American nursing scholars from 1985 to 1995, as indicated by their international teaching, scholarship, and consultation. METHODS: All faculty (N = 2,254) teaching in nursing doctoral programs in the United States were surveyed using an investigator-designed questionnaire. The professional characteristics of American nursing scholars who worked abroad and the dates, nature, and types of international activities they undertook were ascertained. From a total of 928 usable returns, 247 described international activity. FINDINGS: Data indicated a three-fold increase in international activity from 1985 to 1995 in the three major areas investigated. Universities in Western Europe and Asia were the most frequent recipients of nursing scholarly activity. The scholars or representatives of the host institutions made approximately half the initial contacts. The international hosts or U.S. universities were the predominant providers of funding. Nurses most likely to participate in international scholarly activity were senior faculty who were full professors in doctoral-granting institutions, published in international journals, presented educational topics, and were recognized by peers through membership in honorary organizations. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial increase in international nursing scholarship occurred during the decade studied, particularly related to teaching.

Patients' images in nursing magazine advertisements.

Images of patients in advertisements can reflect and influence readers. Since studies have shown discrimination against women and minorities in health care, images of patients in nursing practice magazine advertisements (n=446) were assessed for their reflection of reality. More male than female images were found. Men were shown more frequently as critically ill or with cardiac disease than women. Most patients were Caucasian and under 65 years old. These findings, at variance with reality, may influence nursing care. Nursing magazine readers may perceive women as less critically ill and with less heart disease than men. The underrepresentation of minorities and the elderly negates their health care presence.

Professional classifications of American nurses, 1910 to 1935.

Nursing's claim to professional status is debatable. The purpose of this historical study is to describe the official classifications of American nurses as professionals or nonprofessionals, from 1910 to 1935. Labor legislation before World War I, military decisions during that war, and federal mandates during the Great Depression resulted in differing professional classifications of nurses. Although nurse leaders aspired to traditional criteria of professionalism, such as individual responsibility and a deep, distinct body of knowledge, these criteria were subsumed by political, financial, and gender issues. This study demonstrates that professional status cannot be assured by attainment of professional criteria alone, but is defined by more diverse and complex issues.

Historical methodology for nursing research.

PURPOSE: To describe the basic tenets of historical research methodology, with emphasis on researching nursing history. AIMS: To introduce students and researchers to historical research, through substantive guidelines for library and archival research, and definitions of primary and secondary sources. To discuss ethical considerations--particularly those provoked by recent scholarly interest in the history of ordinary people. To explore issues of external and internal criticism. To discuss analysis, synthesis, and presentation of historical findings. CONCLUSIONS: Historical research, as a type of scholarly inquiry, requires attention to methodology to uncover and interpret findings for nursing.

Attitudes of Asian and American graduate nursing students towards death and dying.

This study compared the difference in attitudes towards death and dying between 17 Asian and 11 American graduate nursing students. Asian and American students did not significantly differ in attitudes related to fear of death, of self, or others, but Asian students were significantly more afraid than American students of their own process of dying. Asian students were more averse than American students to interacting and discussing death with dying patients. Talking about death with dying patients was the most difficult aspect of care for both groups. However, Asian students gained more personal satisfaction than American students in caring for dying patients. The findings provoke discussion regarding differences in nursing practice by Asian and American graduate nursing students.

Fungal endophthalmitis following intraocular lens implantation.

Endophthalmitis developed in a 61-year-pld man after an intraocular lens implantation. A whitish opacity developed, visual acuity decreased to light perception, and we enucleated the eye. Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom) Samson, a saphrophyte that has contaminated laboratory solutions, was cultured.