A study of the regulation of nursing in New Zealand 1901-1997

Abstract

This thesis primarily examines the statutory regulation of nursing in New Zealand from 1901-1997. It is based on publicly available records which relate to the Nurses Acts and Regulations from their inception in 1901 to the current review of the Nurses Act 1977. I present the statutory regulation of nursing within the context of its social, political and economic influences and then critique the outcome against the Foucauldian concepts of power/knowledge, control and surveillance. The study is divided into two time periods, 1901-1987 and 1987-1997, and within these periods identifies power relations relating to the Nurses Acts and Regulations. The study considers the major social, political and economic influences on nursing regulation and how some influences, while classified as non statutory, underpinned, sat alongside, moulded or themselves evolved into the legislation governing nursing. One of the main outcomes of the study has been identifying that the introduction of registration for nurses created a framework around nursing. This framework facilitated the development of internal and external control mechanisms in relation to nursing. Internal mechanisms were those that developed within the framework and reflected nurses' control over nursing. External mechanisms were those that operated outside the framework and impacted on its size, shape and function. These mechanisms largely reflected influences outside of nursing such as other professional groups, organisations, discourses, policies and legislation. While the major influences and trends change over the 96 years I identify some commonalities between the two time periods. I suggest the overall picture is that nurses are caught up in a web of regulation, some of which is spun from within nursing but much of which is created by external influences. The study seeks to raise awareness of these underlying influences on regulation and the need to ask questions about why and for whom, regulatory initiatives are introduced and maintained.