Now and then: a fountain pen, surgical scissors and a blue cardigan

It was about 10 years ago that nurse education moved to the universities. Perhaps, this is a good time to consider what we think of this move. Inevitably, there were advantages and disadvantages to the 'old system' but there is more to it than that. Many of us have clear memories of the preliminary training school, living-in and the greater discipline in those days. These memories are often cherished and for good reason. To appreciate the full depth of change that has taken place we need to look a little further back than 1996, we need to look back to the 1950s and 1960s. This was the heyday of the school of nursing.