After the War – Consequences

1944: In October 1944, ICN President Effie Taylor (read more) re-convened what remained of the ICN organisation during an informal conference at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York. (Brush et al. 1944) During the meeting, the ICN leaders learned of the work being done by nurses throughout the world despite the devastation and handicaps of war. They learned too that the ICN Executive had continued to develop new and progressive nursing programmes for the advancement of nursing education and practice. Taylor hoped that peace would prevail.

In October 1945, Effie Taylor, writing in the first edition the International Nursing Bulletin, spoke of the six-year gap that had elapsed since the ICN Board of Directors had last met in London in July 1939, and of the hardships and personal distress that members who had gathered at that London meeting had endured during the intervening years of the Second World War, but that their lives had been spared and they had kept in touch with each other. It is worth noting the words of Lynaugh and Brush (1999) when they attempted to place these years into modern focus:

“Despite wars, political and economic chaos and racial and religious strife the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has been held together for 100 years by a 'special glue' concocted by dedicated nurses. Its ingredients: friendship, collegial support and enthusiasm. Today ICN is still thriving, leading and representing nurses from all over the world.” (Lynaugh & Brush 1999)

The editorial presented a snapshot of international aspects of nursing and nursing education, outlining how nursing had continued in its service to humanity throughout the world. Taylor acknowledged that the nurses’ job was not done when the war ended and their services had not been dispensed with when the wounds of the battle-fronts were healed. They knew their work lay ahead of them. The first edition also explored post graduate nursing educational programmes in accepting that the future of professional nursing was dependent upon internationally oriented educational programmes. While it was almost universally accepted that education for nurses should be available in all countries, it was acknowledged that postgraduate nursing need not be limited to national boundaries. Libraries needed to be built up by national nurses’ associations to educate and inform nurses of international programmes available worldwide, including those provided by ICN. (ICN 1945)

In the second edition of The International Nursing Bulletin, an appeal for material aid for nurses in devastated countries was made, including uniforms, uniform accessories, funds for the hospitalisation of sick nurses and professional literature. It was estimated that the number of nurses in need totalled 650,000, mainly in European countries, China and the Philippines. Appeals for help were sent to national nurses’ associations of Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India.

Nursing in many countries in Europe was then at a crossroads as during the war years they had been cut off from the world. In 1946, during the period of re-construction, ICN Executive Director, Anna Schwarzenberg (read more), commenced a tour of European countries. On visiting Great Britain, the former ICN home, she found “so much destroyed, so many friends gone.” But, also due to increased interest in nursing in Britain, improvement in nurses’ salaries and a single pension plan were in the process of being formulated. The Registered Nurses’ Association of France had centralised in its office all requests for employment as the need for well-qualified nurse administrators and public health nurses was acute.

Lynaugh J E; Brush B L (1999) The ICN story – 1899-1999 International Nursing Review Jan/Feb; 46(1): 3-8.

References: Brush et al. (1944) 117; Minutes, unofficial conference of the ICN, New York, 6-7 October ICN archives, Geneva

ICN (1945) Editorial: Snapshot of the International aspects of nursing and nursing education International Nursing Bulletin Vol I (1) October:1-3