This volume investigates how nursing practice has been shaped by shifting political regimes, economic ideologies, and gender dynamics across diverse global contexts. Edited by Ann Marie Rafferty, Jane Robinson, and Ruth Elkan, the text synthesizes historical research to analyze the institutional development of the profession. The authors argue that nursing's professional status is inextricably linked to the political climate of the welfare state and propose specific strategies to increase the visibility and influence of the field.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the history of medicine and social policy. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the research and its utility for understanding the structural challenges currently facing the nursing profession.