Defining nursing practice: the ANA Social Policy Statement, 1980-1983

Area of Science:

• Nursing History
• Information Science
• Sociology of Technology

Background:

• The American Nurses Association's Social Policy Statement (SPS) is a foundational document in nursing.
• Understanding its development provides context for contemporary nursing information practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the initial development of the American Nurses Association's Social Policy Statement (SPS).
• To analyze the SPS as an information practice within a technological system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Social History of Technology methodology.
• Analyzed archival materials and secondary sources.

Main Results:

• The development of the SPS was a localized effort.
• It involved prioritizing, organizing, and promoting specific nursing skills, tools, and knowledge.
• Contextual influences and local realities shaped its creation.

Conclusions:

• The SPS development reflects a strategic integration of external factors with internal nursing priorities.
• This historical perspective informs the understanding of current information practices in the nursing field.