Nursing History for the Net Generation

Abstract

Abstract. This article describes the development and delivery of an online history of nursing course. The course enables learners to take an in-depth look at the rich and complex history of nursing in Canada and gain an understanding of nurses' influence on society and the contributions nurses have made to building this country, as well as to the health of Canadians. The paper examines the pedagogy of teaching and learning on the web and the implications of a technologically savvy generation of learners. The article outlines some of the course highlights, including an overview of a variety of innovative, interactive learning objects, used to enhance knowledge and stimulate discussion. As the first online history of nursing course in Canada, we have taught some history, learned some history and, perhaps, we even made some history.

An integrative review of the literature on the teaching of the history of nursing in pre-registration adult nursing education in the UK

“…Studies showed that advocates of nursing history in the curriculum used the opportunity of the reconfiguration of pre-registration education degree and modularised programmes to re-emphasize the importance and create a position for nursing history in undergraduate pre-registration programmes (Kirby, 1998;Lait, 2000;Madsen, 2008;Padilhaa and Nelson, 2009;Buckingham, 2010;Alpern et al, 2011;Toman and Thifault, 2012). Success in this has been limited by a perceived lack of space and lack of agreement surrounding how, why, when and how to teach nursing history.…”

“…More recently in the USA, Alpern et al (2011) advocated its inclusion early in the curriculum. Recommendations for nursing history as a stand-alone module while seldom achieved have been universally well supported (Kirby, 1998;Lait, 2000;Buckingham, 2010;Alpern et al, 2011;Toman and Thifault, 2012). With the introduction of the pre-registration nursing diploma programme in the UK, Kirby (1998) placed the subject of nursing history in the first year and made recommendation for the inclusion of further strands in the subsequent second and third undergraduate years.…”

“…However, Padilhaa and Nelson (2009) recommended that history should be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum as a discipline with its content becoming more complex in subsequent stages. In Canada placement of the teaching of historical thinking in the senior undergraduate degree year and as an elective course which directs attention to the issues of change, context, causality, contingency and complexity (Andrews and Burke, 2007), had reported success (Buckingham, 2010;Toman and Thifault, 2012). Davis (1995) agreed that historical literacy should be a goal in preregistration programmes but noted that students need to have some understanding of critical analytical thought and research methodologies before engaging in historical reasoning.…”

“…The study of history also enabled students to develop critical analytical skills (Lewenson, 2004;Padilhaa and Nelson, 2009;Toman and Thifault, 2012). Buckingham (2010) added that interdisciplinary online history of nursing teaching provided valuable student diversity and aided development of writing skills, computer skills and time management.…”

“…In post-registration programmes, Newby (1979a,b) denounces such reviews as they result in nursing curricula resembling a graveyard where academics keep putting stuff in but never take anything out. Buckingham (2010) and Toman and Thifault (2012) circumvent the lack of capacity by delivering the subject online. Rationale for including the teaching of nursing history in preregistration curricula was diverse, ranging from enhancement of generic and to specialist knowledge.…”