The developing discipline of nursing from a Dutch perspective

This article is based on a literature review and presents an overview of the development of nursing from vocation to a science based profession. It first addresses the start of formal nursing education in The Netherlands and then focuses on the developing academic discipline, which originated in the U.S.A. While the main focus is on The Netherlands, major milestones in other countries are also briefly discussed [Diepeveen-Speekenbrink (1990b), "The need for graduate nursing education and nursing research in The Netherlands: An exploratory study", a dissertation for degree of Master of Philosophy at University of Wales College of Medicine].