Overview

"Ideas of ""nursing"" and ""nurses"" carry a powerful social charge. The image of the nurse continues to be a symbol of caring and of duty at the same time as it projects a view of femininity, ""stereotypical"" in its gender relations. How has this image come to be constructed? An empirical investigation of representations of nursing practices in Britain, focusing on publicity and promotional materials and their relationship to popular fictional narratives, reveals a strong correlation between what are usually described as discrete forms of signification. Recruitment images, the public face of the profession, provide an important source of information and inspiration for those considering nurse training. Julia Hallam, considers the ""image"" of nursing and how it has been constructed, contributing to debates surrounding gender and occupational identity, she draws from a wide range of sources including biographies, marketing and recruitment literature, popular fiction (e.g. Mills & Boon) and film (e.g. Carry On films). The book should provide a valuable source for undergraduate and postgraduate students on courses such as the social history of nursing; the understanding of health and illness; women's studies and gender studies; and sociology courses focused on cultural or gendered study of health."

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9780415184557

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Reviews

Historians, sociologists, and others may find this book significant to the study of social change and the impace of this predominately female occupational group in society...Those who want more than a peek at 'the masculine vision of profession' as displayed by Dr. Green of ER -- those who want the opportunity to discover the idea of nurses impacting society--will find this book interesting. <br>-J. Clawson, CHOICE, May 2001 <br>

Author Information

Julia Hallam is Director of English and Communication Studies, University of Liverpool.

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