Spreading Nigthingale Nursing. A Slow and Tortuous Process

Abstract

This article studies four matrons who tried to introduce Nightingale nursing into their hospitals: Angélique Lucille Pringle at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary 1874–1887, Maria Machin at the Montreal General Hospital 1875–1878, Emily Aston at the Eastern Hospital 1887–1889, and Flora Masson at the Radcliffe Infirmary 1891–1896. Contrary to popular belief, Nightingale nursing did not spread rapidly around the globe. Although many early nursing reformers called their training schools Nightingale schools, few understood Nightingale’s basically religious approach to nurse training. Some Nightingale matrons simply ran the nursing service in the old way but these four matrons did try to introduce some or all of Nightingale’s principles. The article studies the opposition from hospital governors and doctors with whom they had to deal, the motivations of the four matrons and the progress they made.