CfP: Nursing care in times of epidemics and pandemics – historical and ethical issues (Publication: European Journal for Nursing History and Ethics); by: 30.11.2020

European Journal for Nursing History and Ethics (Web); 4/2022, ed.: Karen Nolte and Susanne Kreutzer

Proposals by: 30.11.2020

The COVID 19 pandemic is a challenge of historical significance. For the first time since the 1950s and 1960s, the persuasion of being an immunized society was shaken. Diseases and pandemics were long portrayed in public history as historical events that modern scientific medicine was able to happily overcome thanks to the invention of antibiotics and vaccination programmes.

The COVID 19 pandemic has changed the perspective on the history of epidemics; currently the question arises how we can learn from past pandemics today. At the same time, the recent discussion shows that in the context of pandemics, ethical challenges to the health care system – such as questions of distributive justice – are becoming particularly acute. Last but not least, against the background of the COVID 19 crisis, society is becoming increasingly aware of the crucial importance of nurses in the health care system.

The special issue aims on the one hand to make nurses visible as actors in the history of pandemics in the various European countries, and on the other hand to discuss ethical challenges for nurses in both historical and current contexts. Possible historical topics are:

  • Care during the cholera epidemics in the 19th century
  • Role of nurses and nursing practices during the influenza pandemics of 1889–1895 („Russian Flu“); 1918–1920 („Spanish Flu“), 1957 („Asian Flu“) and 1968–1970 („Hong Kong Flu“)
  • Care of endemically occurring infectious diseases: tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, typhoid, dysentery
  • Dealing with sexually transmitted diseases in nursing care: syphilis, HIV and AIDS, etc.
  • Role of nurses in vaccination programmes
  • Hygiene knowledge as nursing knowledge; Read more and source … (Web)