Documents of historical interest
The RCN archives collections are open to everyone. Within the collections there is a wide range of historical printed material, often difficult to find elsewhere, of great interest to researchers. The historical pamphlets collection dates from the late 19th century to the 1980s and covers a variety of nursing and health care topics, regulations and organisations.
To help your research using these hard to find publications, view a selection of out-of-copyright or RCN copyright publications. Many files on this page are in PDF format. See how to access PDF files.
The RCN headquarters is a part of London's built heritage dating back to 1729. For more information about it's history you can access the brochure '20 Cavendish Square, London W1: Life and Times' (PDF 437KB) published shortly after the modernisation of the building in 2001.
The study of nursing care research project 1970-1975
Series one
- Introduction 'The Proper Study of the Nurse: An account of the first two years of a research project "The Study of Nursing Care", including a study of the relevant background literature' (PDF 2.1MB), Jean K. McFarlane, RCN, London, 1970
- 'Nil by Mouth?: A descriptive study of nursing care in relation to pre-operative fasting' (PDF 2.8MB), Stephanie Hamilton Smith, RCN, London, 1972
- 'The Unpopular Patient' (PDF 2.5MB), Felicity Stockwell, RCN, London, 1972
- 'Nurse-I Want my Mummy!' (PDF 6.5MB), Pamela J. Hawthorn, RCN, London, 1974
- 'Bowel Function in Hospital Patients' (PDF 3.3MB), Leslie Wright, RCN, London, 1974
- 'Patient Anxiety on Admission to Hospital' (PDF 2.4MB), Barbara Lane Franklin, RCN, London, 1974
- 'The Teaching and Practice of Surgical Dressings in Three Hospitals' (PDF 2.4MB), Jennifer M. Hunt, RCN, London, 1974.
Series two
- 'The role of the Nurse' (PDF 3.5MB), Evelyn R. Anderson, RCN, London, 1973
- 'Ready for Report Nurse?: A study of nursing communication in hospital wards' (PDF 4.3MB), Sylvia R. Lelean, RCN, London, 1973
- 'Physiological Measures of Anxiety in Hospital Patients' (PDF 1.9MB), Anne Munday, RCN, London, 1973
- 'Food for Thought' (PDF 3.9MB), Jack Hayward, RCN, London, 1975
- 'Information-A Prescription against Pain (PDF 4MB), Daniel C. Jones, RCN, London, 1975
- 'Discharged from Hospital' (PDF 4.5MB), Ida Roberts, RCN, London, 1975
- Concluding Monograph 'Towards a Theory of Nursing Care: An account of the RCN/DHSS Research Project "The Study of Nursing Care"' (PDF 3.5MB), Ursula Inman, RCN, London, 1975.
Researchers are responsible for observing UK copyright laws by using copied material for non-commercial research / private study only. Any information on the RCN archives webpages may be downloaded or printed strictly for your own use. No further permissions are given without discussion.
Search for more records of interest in the RCN archives catalogue.
Contact the RCN archives department by emailing archives@rcn.org.uk for further information or advice on accessing the catalogue.