VALLADOLID NURSING FACULTY FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

The ideas of Florence Nightingale, founder in 1860 of the first school of nurses at Saint Thomas Hospital in London, took a long time to settle in Spain. It was not until 1915 that the legal bases to obtain the official nursing title were established.

Nursing studies in Valladolid began during the Second Republic, specifically in the academic year 1931-1932. The school was located in grounds of the Provincial Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine.

The three academic courses of the educational plan continued to be taught during the Civil War (1936-1939) until 1941, the year in which they had to adapt to current regulations: now the plan had two courses and its approach gave a new role to nurses. This was a foretaste of the healthcare framework established for the health professions in the Health Bases Act of 1944.

The emergence in 1953 of the title of Healthcare Technical Assistant (ATS) unified under a single title the studies of nurse, midwife and practitioner, in addition to give way to ATS schools (male and female). In the Valladolid school, the theoretical classes were taught in the Faculty of Medicine, while the practical training was carried out in the Provincial Hospital.

It was not until 1978 that Nursing studies were integrated into the University thanks to the active mobilization of the ATS and the educational reforms of the new political stage in Spain. From then on, the theoretical and practical part had the same weight regarding training content. Besides, new subjects focused on the integral care of people were created. This new training journey allowed nurses to obtain a university degree in Nursing. Coincidentally, the studies were integrated in the university at the same time that the former Provincial Hospital disappeared to give way to the Hospital Clínico Universitario, where the practical training of the licensed nurses would begin. To this practical training network were later added Río Hortega University Hospital and the Health Centers of the two healthcare areas of Valladolid.

The University School of Nursing of Valladolid, located from the beginning on Real de Burgos street, changed its headquarters in 2002 to the Health Sciences building by rectory decision. This building currently houses the Faculty of Nursing and the Faculty of Medicine.

Being part of the European Higher Education Area was another challenge taken by the Nursing School of Valladolid. In 2010, first promotion of Nursing Degree started their training, completing it in 2014. In 2013 the Nursing school became a Faculty, consolidating itself as a university center of the European Higher Education Area.

Historical evolution, both social and political, influences the development of Nursing as a profession. In the case of the Faculty of Nursing of Valladolid, its evolution has been briefly described from the first years of the 20th century to the present day. It went from being School of Nurses to School of ATS, then School of University Graduates of Nursing and, finally, Faculty of Nursing. This reflects both the adaptation of studies to different historical contexts and their leadership in nursing education in Spain.