Nursing and Economics

Abstract

Economic contexts have shaped the working conditions of nurses in various ways throughout history. Increasing marketisation in the healthcare sector has been noted and discussed since the 1960s, in particular in terms of the social and human costs for both nurses and patients. The articles in this special issue situate the marketisation of nursing in different social contexts, differentiate it from the principle of sound financial management in nursing, and thus contribute to the historicisation of the currently politically charged concept of marketisation. The articles focus on the transformation of nursing care in the second half of the 20th century and examine both the opportunities for nurses and the consequences that resulted from the adoption of market-oriented practices in the field of nursing.