History of development in Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing

Patients with neurological and neurosurgical problems require long term attention. So we can say Neuroscience nursing existed for a long time. Nurses working in the neurosciences department play a significant role in the betterment of patients and their outcome. They are equipped with special skills and knowledge to cater to the specialized and advanced care demanded by these patients. As a professional in the field for the last 15 years I was curious to collect the history of neuroscience nursing from countries in different parts of the world. I have learnt that even though neuroscience nursing is an extremely important sub specialty, associations for Neurosciences nurses were started only around 1960s-70s around the world.

The largest organization the WFNN (World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses) was founded in the year 1969. Initially only five countries were members of WFNN which grew slowly and now it is an association consisting of 13 member organizations.

There is an American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) in the United States with the mission of advancing neuro nursing as a specialty. Agnes Marshall-Walker, co- founder of the American Association of Neurosurgical Nurses was instrumental in establishing the World Federation of Neurosurgical Nurses (WFNN).

In 1974, Tonnie Koenen established the Australasian Neuroscience
Nurses Association. She was also the WFNN Editor of Publications.

Jessie Young was the founder of Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses (CANN). The first meeting of the association was conducted in Montreal in June 1969 which in union with the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences.

The association established Jessie Young Bursary in 1983 to encourage the continuing education of neuroscience nurses. Jessie Young was also involved in designing neurological assessment sheets and linen for Stryker frames.

Jessie Young was the founder of Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses (CANN). The first meeting of the association was conducted in Montreal in June 1969 which in union with the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences. The association established Jessie Young Bursary in 1983 to encourage the continuing education of neuroscience nurses. Jessie Young was also involved in designing neurological assessment sheets and linen for Stryker frames.

Association of Neurological Nurses of India was accepted as a subsection of the Neurological Society of India in 1979. Neurological Society of India was established in the year 1951 by the efforts of Dr. Jacob Chandy, Dr. B. Ramamurthi, Dr. S.T. Narasimhan and Dr. Baldev Singh the pioneers in the field. The society conducts annual meeitngs. It also publishes a journal called Neurology India. This sub-section of association of neurological nurses of India was registered with the Registrar of Firms and Societies, Chandigarh under Act 21 of 1860 as No. 1550 of 1988 and named as "Society of Indian Neurosciences Nurses (SINN)".

The mission of the society (SINN) is to promote high standards in caring for patients with neurological conditions and to promote communication and research among neuroscience nurses. The society conducts annual neuroscience nursing conferences for nurses along with the annual meeting of neurological society of India. In these conferences the society condiuct scientific paper and poster presentations, quiz and elocutions.

From this we can understand that the neurosciences nurses in many part of the world are organised and advance their knowledge and skills through regular meetings and by conducting researches.