title: Nurse recruitment and retention in the 19th century London teaching hospitals.
abstract: 'One of the greatest difficulties which occurs in completing the arrangements of a hospital is the procuring of proper persons to act as nurses; since as much perhaps depends on the humane endeavours of a kind and attentive female as upon the ability of the medical attendant', Benjamin Golding wrote in 1819. He had just qualified as a doctor at St Thomas' and was impressed by the way a skilful nurse could often secure a patient's recovery when the doctor had given up all hope. This article addresses the problem which Golding identified, the recruitment and retention of nurses in the London teaching hospitals during the 19th century. The recruitment and retention of sisters and matrons was much less difficult, and I therefore confine my discussion to the problems involved in finding what Golding called 'proper persons to act as nurses'.
authors.affiliation: Ontario Nurses Association, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Helmstadter
mesh_terms: D049672:History, 19th Century; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000266:history*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000266:history*; D006113:United Kingdom