District nursing between the local and the international. Northern Norway 1890-1940.

Abstract

The article explores the history of voluntary district nursing in Northern Norway 1880- 1940. A popular movement of women’s associations met the tuberculosis epidemic, which peaked late in the North. District nursing was developed partly from the European movement of Christian relief and sick care, partly from local traditions of neighbourly assistance. Local girls were trained and employed by local associations. This service was especially important to sick peasant women with families, as the nurses stayed in the homes during a crisis, and did the work that was needed as well as nursing. Between the wars, the international public health movement brought a focus on preventive public health nursing to the central leaders of the tuberculosis movement of Norway. Funds were made available to local associations, on condition that the nurse’s work was re-defined from sick care to public prevention, and directed by the medical officer. This medical corporativism was only partly successful, as sick nursing continued locally. District nursing in the North illustrates the central-local difference, the implicit gender issue, and the tension between sickness or health focus in the development of modern health care.