What is a nurse? The Francis report and the historic voice of nursing.

Following the Francis report into shockingly deficient standards of care at an English hospital, this paper examines UK nurse education and revisits the premises on which the professional narrative of nursing was built. The UK government's response to the report is to introduce the "associate nurse" role, to be nationally trained to do fundamental care in place of the registered nurse, and a nursing apprenticeship scheme-on-the-job training for a nursing degree. UK nursing bodies do not address the report's recommendations in regard to registered nurse education; rather, they advocate a further perpetuation of the current system.

An analysis of England's nursing policy on compassion and the 6Cs: the hidden presence of M. Simone Roach's model of caring.

In 2012, chief nursing officers (CNO) in England published a policy on compassion in response to serious criticisms of patients' care. Because their objective is fundamentally to shape nursing, this study argues, following Popper, that the policy should be analysed. An appraisal tool, developed from Popper, Gadamer, Jauss and Thiselton, is the framework for this analysis.

Shaping the future of nursing: developing an appraisal framework for public engagement with nursing policy reports.

It is accepted that research should be systematically examined to judge its trustworthiness and value in a particular context. No such appraisal is required of reports published by organizations that have possibly even greater influence on policy that affects the public. This paper explores a philosophical framework for appraising reports.

Listening to the patient's self-reported testimony: the authentic hermeneutical witness to the compassionate nurse?

Aim: This paper considers whether the patient's self-reported testimony of nursing care provides an authentic basis for nursing knowledge. An international nursing and philosophical literature gives international relevance.

Background: United Kingdom reports detail patients' complaints about nursing care.

'This house believes that caring can and should be measured'.

The case for and against the measurement of care is explored by four nursing academics. Supporters of the idea say measurement is essential so that nurses can benchmark improvements and gain a better insight into the quality of care. Their opponents say caring is a 'moral art' or so 'irredeemably vague' it is futile to try measuring it.

Do ward sisters have influence over care?

The role of the ward sister has changed significantly since modern nursing began in the 19th century. This article looks at the history of the ward sister, explores the impact of political and professional changes on the role and discusses how ward sisters can help maintain the quality of care in today's NHS.

Gadamer's two horizons: listening to the voices in nursing history.

Brian Abel-Smith's A History of the Nursing Profession published in 1960 marked a new critical approach to interpreting British nursing history in the light of modern culture. This approach was taken forward by most nursing history writers. In addition, some British nursing history writers, notably Monica Baly, Celia Davies and Anne Marie Rafferty, as well as Abel-Smith himself, have influenced the direction of British nursing policy.

Compassion: what history teaches us.

Although the government and nursing bodies agree that patients have a right to be treated with compassion, reports such as the Health Service Ombudsman's Care and Compassion? Have criticised the NHS, and nurses in particular, for lacking this quality. This article considers how compassion has been characterised by nurse writers and educators throughout the profession's history and considers what lessons can be learnt by the profession today.

An historical perspective on the treatment of vocation in the Briggs Report (1972).

Aims And Objectives: To examine the vocational ideal in the Briggs Report (Briggs 1972), its evidence, context and interpretation.

Background: As recently argued in Journal of Clinical Nursing, twentieth century reports have misrepresented nursing. This paper considers this argument in relation to the Briggs Report and its understanding of vocation.

Is the ward sister role still relevant to the quality of patient care? A critical examination of the ward sister role past and present.

Aims And Objectives: To examine the UK ward sister role in contemporary and historical context.

Background: The ward sister role once key to nursing is now confused.

Design: A critical examination of the changing role of the ward sister.

Nursing competence 10 years on: fit for practice and purpose yet?

Aims And Objectives: This paper examines how nurses are prepared to be clinically competent and safe at registration, so that they are fit for practice and purpose. It follows up two papers on competence published in 1997 and 1998 and investigates subsequent developments.

Background: In 1979, major changes in nursing affected nurse education and preparation for competence.

Rectal suppository insertion: the reliability of the evidence as a basis for nursing practice.

Aims And Objectives: This paper considers the correct method for inserting a rectal suppository, both as a medication and also to achieve bowel evacuation. The aim is to find out whether the correct method is blunt end or pointed end foremost.

Background: It follows from a question raised by a third year student nurse.

Teaching spiritual care to nurses: an alternative approach.

This paper presents an approach to teaching spiritual care that is underpinned by a traditional philosophy of care as agape. In this approach spiritual care is considered a fundamental character of care, not a self-conscious addition. The caring function of the nurse is qualitatively differentiated from that of the religious minister, whose role is considered to be currently underestimated.