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Quo Vadis? A question of historical awareness
Author(s) -
McDonald T.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international nursing review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1466-7657
pISSN - 0020-8132
DOI - 10.1111/inr.12575
Subject(s) - narrative , history of nursing , oral history , status quo , identity (music) , nursing , comparative historical research , narrative history , medicine , sociology , psychology , nurse education , political science , aesthetics , anthropology , law , art , literature
Aim To emphasize the role of history in shaping clinical nursing identity and opportunities, and encourage nurses’ contribution to the story of contemporary clinical nursing. Approach Drawing upon history frameworks and approaches to history research, greater engagement of clinical nurses in recording nursing history is canvassed. A basic framework for developing historical research from practice narratives is suggested as a feasible option. Outcomes Topics identified: a) nurses’ awareness of their history and nursing’s professional standing; b) the importance of oral history in nursing development; and c) digital influences on history research and constructing historical narratives. Conclusion Clinical nurses’ stories contribute to historical research. All nurses are responsible for gathering and distributing contemporary local narratives on clinical nursing. Oral history research provides a framework for nurses to record and share stories. Implications Recorded history can prevent nursing from being trivialized or misrepresented. Missing accounts of contemporary nursing create gaps in our narrative and risk future professional disempowerment.