Eighth ICN Congress, London United Kingdom

In 1937, ICN headquarters were returned from Geneva to London, where the eighth ICN International Congress took place. Retiring ICN President, Dame Alicia Lloyd Still, in welcoming the new President, American Effie Taylor, spoke inspiringly saying:

“Nurses of the United States, like those of our Allies, worked unstintingly in the service of their country during the war in providing care for the disabled. They shared the hardships of combat, asking no reward except the knowledge that their sacrifices enabled others to live.… Shattered bodies and minds lie in the wake of the most destructive war in history. The sick must be nursed back to health.” (ICN 1959)

The office of Third Vice-President was created; the President took on the Watchword “Faith”.

ICN (1959). The Educational Programme of the School of Nursing. International; Nursing Review 14-16 ICN Archives

Fourth ICN Congress, Cologne, Germany

The fourth ICN Congress was held in Cologne in 1912. Annie Warburton Goodrich (USA) (read more) was elected ICN President, a position she held until 1915. Goodrich spoke of the need for membership acceptance by institutions of learning and the need for them to open their doors to ICN members. This proposal was approved by Council. This decision proved to be momentous for nursing education and clinical practice through a Foundation that was subsequently formed to support scholarship.

‘Aspiration’ was selected as the Watchword for the new President, because according to Gordon Fenwick:-

“Aspiration expresses a desire to seek eagerly after that which is above us. That was the inspiration of the Council Idea, and that is its goal.” (Boschma & Stuart 1999)

Fatigue was a cause for concern that was raised at the Congress. Delegates were focused on the health and welfare of nurses’ and on the nature and effect of fatigue on workers and particularly in recognising its effects on nurses and nursing care. Member associations requested that hospital authorities should give the same consideration to the problem of overwork among nurses that industrial leaders were giving to the question of overwork among workers in industry so that the present grievous destruction of the health of nurses may cease. The Congress also requested that ICN should use its influence to stimulate enquiries into the social conditions of nurses in its affiliated countries. This area was to become a topic of discussion and concern for ICN members and their associations during the next decades.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the Indian Nurses Association joined ICN in 1912.

Boschma G. and Stuart M. (1999) ICN during wartime:1912-1947. International Nursing Review, 46(2)41

Powell Kennedy H & Spoonster Schwartz L (2018). A Salute to Dean Annie W. Goodrich on the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Yale School of Nursing. https://nursing.yale.edu/news/salute-dean-annie-w-goodrich-100th-anniversary-end-world-war-i