Nursing’s orphans: How the system of nursing education in Australia is undermining professional identity

Abstract

This paper draws on the results of a national study of approaches to teaching nursing’s history in Australia. We argue that the neglect of history learning within undergraduate nursing and midwifery education is undermining the development in students of a strong professional nursing identity. The data in our study shows that instead of proud, informed professionals, we are at risk of producing a generation of professional orphans – unaware of who they are and where they’ve come from, unaware of reasons underlying cultural practices within the profession, lacking in vision for the future, insecure about their capacity to contribute to future directions, and not feeling part of something bigger and more enduring.

Keywords:

• nursing
• history
• professional identity
• curriculum
• retention
• Australia