First ICN Congress, Buffalo, USA

In keeping with ICN’s ideals to inform and educate, the first international Congress was held in Buffalo, New York, USA on 16 September 1901. Four nursing societies all recognised as leaders in their fields of nursing attended: The Nurses Associated Alumnae of the United States; The American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses; the International Council of Nurses; and the Spanish-American Order of War Nurses; along with 100 nurses from Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the USA. The focus of the Congress was on the administration of hospitals in Great Britain, United States and Australia and on the education of student nurses.

On 17 September 1901, a public meeting of ICN was held in a large hall of the Women’s Educational Union and chaired by Gordon Fenwick, President. Representatives were present from Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the USA. Gordon Fenwick reminded those present:

“The work which lies before us in the organisation of an International Council of Nurses may well impress us with its magnitude. We have written down its Constitution – a Constitution pregnant with, and powerful for good – but we have to make that Constitution live. Constitutions live, and to do this we must inspire it with the vital force of a fine powerful spirit. Hence ‘Work’ must be our Watchword.”

The President then described how ICN must develop:

‘The graduate nurses will combine to form alumnae associations; the national society alumnae will federate to form a national council; and the national councils are then eligible for affiliation with ICN. We have, in sort, secured for our members’ professional suffrage.”

During the opening, the President of the Congress, Isabel McIsaac, Superintendent of Nursing, Illinois Training School for Nurses, Chicago and Honorary Member of the Matron’s Council of Great Britain and Ireland voiced her opinion:

“If the phenomenal growth of nursing is any indication of its righteousness, then who can doubt our future. Small wonder that our pioneers, some of whom are still with us, express themselves as sometimes awed by the mighty impetus of the ball they started rolling, scarcely more than a generation ago.”

Interesting papers, followed by discussions were presented on the first day: Relation to Training Schools (Isla Stewart); The attitude of nurses towards women on hospital boards (Isabel Hampton Robb); Nurses’ Co-operative Societies (Diana C. Kimber and S. E. Cartwright); The League of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital (E. M. Waind) and Nursing Organisation in Australia (Susan B. McGahey). On the last afternoon of the Congress, Gordon Fenwick spoke on The Organisation and Registration of Trained Nurses, suggesting, in broad outline, a measure for the state registration of nurses, which she thought would be easy to adapt and applicable to every country.

There was uncertainty over how ICN membership should be managed. A recurring refrain throughout the discussions taking place during the Congress was whether to involve physicians in their new organisations. Others present were unsure about how nurses in leadership positions could relate to the upper-class women on hospital boards, who were often perceived as not understanding nursing issues. The Congress gave particular attention to the problems surrounding the organisation of nurses and how to support their political agenda. Also of concern was what to do about the many graduate nurses whose “standards are not what we (the leaders) would wish”. It was agreed that the education of nurses should lie in the hands of nursing organisations who would work for suitable legislation on regulation of nursing, few realising how long this goal would take to be realised.

For the first time, official delegates from national nursing associations (NNAs) attended the Congress, not as individuals but representatives of NNAs. These nurses came together because of the lack of nursing education standards, exploitation of nursing students as cheap labour, deplorable work conditions and the need for statutory registration and in the belief that their strength would come with unity. (Breay M. & Gordon Fenwick E (1931). The first NNAs all had similar goals: to improve registration, education and regulation of nurses in order to better serve their populations.

Gordon Fenwick E (1899) ICN Papers ICN Headquarters pgs. 3-4. Document in the possession of the ICN Archives in Geneva, Switzerland and accessed by Marie Carney in July 2018.

Breay M. & Gordon Fenwick E (1931). History of the International Council of Nurses (1899-1925) Document in the possession of the ICN Archives in Geneva, Switzerland and accessed by Marie Carney in August 2018. Pg. 249

The Stewart Society (n.d.), Famous Stewarts, Isla Stewart – matron, nurse, author & educator. https://www.stewartsociety.org/history-of-the-stewarts.cfm?section=famous-stewarts&subcatid=20&histid=184