Although nursing had been taught at university level in the United States since the late 19th century, academic nursing began much later in the United Kingdom and in Europe as a whole. Edinburgh University's Department of Nursing Studies has its roots in a Nurse Tutors' course established by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Scottish Branch, in 1946. This course was partly taught and examined by the RCN and partly by the university itself. Successful students were awarded a certificate by the university which, in turn, led to professional accreditation as a Registered Nurse Tutor (RNT) by the General Nursing Council for Scotland. In 1954, changes introduced to the RCN Nurse Tutors' course in England (which was extended from one year to two) necessitated an urgent review and reform of the Scottish course. The course director, Margaret Lamb (1907-1992)]], had just returned from the United States where a Rockefeller Travelling Scholarship had permitted her to research degree courses in nursing. She was now determined to introduce similar courses here. At the same time a Canadian nurse[[Gladys Carter]], who had lectured in nursing administration at Toronto University, took up a Research Fellowship in Edinburgh University's Department of [[Public Health and Social Medicine]] under the supervision of [[Professor F. A. E. Crew | Francis Albert Eley Crew (1886-1973)]].
The roots of the Department of Nursing Studies were in the Nurse Tutors' course organised by the RCN, Scottish Branch. A Certificate in Nurse Education was awarded by Edinburgh University, and ultimately registration conferred (Registered Nurse Tutor [RNT]) by the General Nursing Council for Scotland. Miss Lamb was an innovative RCN Education Officer (she introduced clinical instructors' and ward sisters' courses and liberal studies into the tutors' course). She was awarded a Rockefeller Travelling Scholarship (1953) to study degree courses in the States; she returned, fired with enthusiasm to promote similar courses here.
The Tutors' Course was studied by Gladys Carter (a Canadian nurse, and strong advocate of reform of nurse education), supervised by Professor Crew (Chair of Public Health and Social Medicine). Her findings were that the course worked "almost twice as hard" as the students doing a similar two year course in London, and students were admitted with "professional references" –not the academic standards required by university students.
Although nursing had been taught at university level in the United States since the late 19th century, academic nursing began much later in the United Kingdom and in Europe as a whole. Edinburgh University's Department of Nursing Studies has its roots in a Nurse Tutors' course established by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Scottish Branch, in 1946. This course was partly taught and examined by the RCN and partly by the university itself. Successful students were awarded a certificate by the university which, in turn, led to professional accreditation as a Registered Nurse Tutor (RNT) by the General Nursing Council for Scotland. In 1954, changes introduced to the RCN Nurse Tutors' course in England (which was extended from one year to two) necessitated an urgent review and reform of the Scottish course. The course director, Margaret Lamb (1907-1992)]], had just returned from the United States where a Rockefeller Travelling Scholarship had permitted her to research degree courses in nursing. She was now determined to introduce similar courses here. At the same time a Canadian nurseGladys Carter, who had lectured in nursing administration at Toronto University, took up a Research Fellowship in Edinburgh University's Department of Public Health and Social Medicine under the supervision of Francis Albert Eley Crew (1886-1973).