Nursing services and training in South Arabia during the late British colonial period: 1950-1967

Mohammed, Muna Saeed Fareh (2016) Nursing services and training in South Arabia during the late British colonial period: 1950-1967. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

Preview

Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (4MB) | Preview

Abstract

Nursing services and training in South Arabia during the late British colonial period: 1950-1967 The history of nursing in South Arabia (SA) during the late colonial period has not been well researched. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive account of nursing services and training in the region from 1950 to 1967, against the background of the colonial context and the local setting. This research was conducted through the gathering of first-hand accounts. These were carried out in the form of oral history interviews with both South Arabian nurses and British nurses who worked as nurses in SA. In addition, the research draws on data obtained through documentary and archival research. The study found that, although nursing services were enhanced and amplified in SA between 1950 and 1967 by the British colonial administration, there was a lack of government and institutional planning, and the provision of nursing services was variable and uneven. Nurse training was basic and variable, with males tending to receive more professionalised training than females. Furthermore, the benefits of colonial nursing services brought to the population as a result of the colonial presence was as much by individual endeavor and the work of charitable organisations (such as the British Red Cross), as it was by any sort of overall intention on the part of the colonial authorities. This research has shown that in addition to the absence of overall planning of the nursing services during the period of the administration, the colonial dominance was extended through nursing in many ways: the colonial nurses dominated the nursing workforce; the local expertise was undervalued; and nursing management positions were limited to the colonial nurses. This study contributes to our understanding of the history of South Arabia and should also be of particular interest to scholars who have an interest in the history of nursing during the colonial period.