History of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Nursing Education

Prior to 1983 the majority of nurse education within Australia was conducted by hospital-based, or hospital-affiliated, schools of nursing and was of an apprenticeship nature. This education was the responsibility of the Minister(s) for Health and, within each state, a statutory authority was established with specific powers and responsibilities for nurse education. In New South Wales this authority is the Nurses Registration Board of New South Wales which was, and still is, responsible for setting educational standards for nursing programs and maintaining a register of qualified nurses. Until 1983, at the individual hospital level, responsibility for nurse education was shared by the hospital administration including the then Matron (Director of Nursing).

Throughout the late 1960s until 1983 the nursing profession, both in New South Wales and across Australia, was subjected to investigation by a plethora of expert committees which examined numerous aspects of nursing, including educational preparation. The reports of these committees were widely circulated and discussed both inside and outside of the nursing profession.These reports provided an important stimulus for change to nursing and to the educational preparation of nurses.

There were, however, a number of other factors that helped to accelerate the rate of change. Important among these were the growing militancy of nurses to obtain improved wages and conditions and the problems created by attempting to improve nurse education within the existing framework. The changing role of the nurse as well as the developments taking place in nursing and nurse education
internationally also contributed to this change. General social factors, including the role of women and the increased general education of the population, as well as increasing cohesiveness between the various nursing organisations across Australia were also important contributing factors.

On 7 November, 1983, the then State Minister for Health in New South Wales, Mr Laurie Brereton, announced that from January 1985, all basic nurse education would be conducted by the higher education sector. Then, on 24 August 1984, the Federal Government made an historic announcement when it gave its in-principle support for the full transfer of nurse education into the higher education sector. This education would then be the responsibility of the Federal Minister for Education. The full transfer of nurse education into this sector was to be completed by 1993.

The Faculty of Nursing

The transfer of basic nurse education into the higher education sector ultimately led to the formation of the Faculty of Nursing within the University of Sydney in 1991. This Faculty developed from two previous nursing groups within the college of advanced education sector; the School of Nursing, Cumberland College of Health Sciences, and the Institute of Nursing Studies, Sydney College of Advanced
Education.

In 1992 a further milestone in the education of nurses was reached when the initial pre-registration course became a degree, the Bachelor of Nursing, across Australia. In 1993 the decision was taken to integrate the two nursing groups within the University of Sydney (the Faculty of Nursing and the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences) into the one Faculty of Nursing from January 1994.

From 1994 to 2004 the Faculty of Nursing offered a full range of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate courses included the Bachelor of Nursing (Pre-Registration), a conversion Bachelor of Nursing (for registered nurses), a Bachelor of Nursing (Honours), and starting in 2000, the Faculty introduced the first of a series of combined undergraduate degrees. A range of graduate specialty clinical coursework awards and research degrees including the Master of Philosophy (Nursing) and a Doctor of Philosophy were offered by the Faculty.

The Faculty made a further step in its continuing development and growing strength when it began to consolidate onto the Mallett Street campus in 2000. From 2000 no new students enrolled at the Cumberland campus.This process was completed at the end of 2001. This change enabled the Faculty of Nursing to strengthen and develop further its range of courses and its research profile.

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

During 2004 a number of major decisions were made about the future profile of the Faculty. Among these was a change of name to the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, the disestablishment of departments and the phasing out of undergraduate courses to become, over time, a specialised postgraduate, post-registration and graduate entry faculty with a greater focus on research.

The Faculty introduced a new range of pre-registration degrees including the Master of Nursing, a two year graduate entry program, a number of combined degrees and a revamped postgraduate coursework program. It also added to the research degree portfolio to include a Doctor of Health Services Management. The Faculty of Nursing has close affiliations with the health care sector, in particular, Central Sydney Area Health Service, the Northern Sydney Area Health Service, the South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, and Western Sydney Area Health Service. The Faculty continues to develop close links with the health care service sector for the continuing education and professional preparation of nurses, the clinical practice of nursing and research.