Sowing the seeds of public health nursing--1920-39

The Florence Nightingale International Foundation and the Florence Nightingale International Courses played an important role in the development of public health nursing leadership in Europe and remain an outstanding example of international collaboration. Through the International Courses 203 nurses from 40 countries were prepared to organize and implement systems of public health nursing where none had previously existed; another 97 nurses were prepared for leadership as administrators and teachers. Below, how the courses started and their impact as viewed by nursing leaders of that era.