This is the history of one of the largest nursing organizations in the world and one of the largest professional associations of women.

The Royal College of Nursing began as a small professional association in 1916. Its work included nurses' education, professional policy and labour relations. It considers the history of nursing from political, social and economic points of view and sheds light on both gender relations and the position of women in the work place in Britain since 1916. The themes include the struggle to achieve professional status for nurses, the...