Authority and leadership: the evolution of nursing management in 19th century teaching hospitals

This study shows why some 19th century nursing managers were successful and some were not.

With the exception of Florence Nightingale, almost nothing has been written about 19th century nursing managers.

Classical historical method is used. Extensive use is made of secondary sources. Primary sources are found in the archives of the 12 London teaching hospitals, the Radcliffe Infirmary, the Convents of St John the Divine and the All Saints Sisters, and 16,000 Nightingale documents in the Collected Works of Florence Nightingale.

Success in delivering a highly competent nursing service depended on the matron's leadership and legitimate authority but she also had to have the support of her hospital board to gain access to allocation of scarce resources.

While the 19th century hospital environment was very different, how nurses directed under different circumstances clarifies our knowledge of successful nursing management in 2007.