Pioneer
and leader of Norwegian nursing
Bergljot
Larsson (1883-1968) established the Norwegian Nursing
Association (NNA) and was its leader for 23 years. She took
great part in the modernization of Norwegian nursing,
especially in the time between the great world wars.
As a young
nurse Bergljot Larsson went abroad to study nursing. After
a two years stay in Edinburgh, from 1909 to 1911, she came
back to Norway highly influenced and inspired by the
progresses she had experienced both in British nursing and
in the women’s liberation. On 24th of September
1912 she called in "sisters" from the whole of Norway to
discuss the establishment of an association for educated
nurses. Few hours after the meeting took place, the
Norwegian Nursing Association was in existence, one of the
last nursing associations in Scandinavia. Both Finland,
Denmark and Sweden had established their organisations at
that time.
Bergljot
Larsson was a was a leader highly enthusiastic about the
ideas of the time, and with great belief in progress and a
better society. Her great vision was to make nursing an
active and significant part of the modernization process. In
her efforts to fortify Norwegian nursing, she made education
her main strategy. She considered education the most
important mean to make nurses professional contributors to
societies' progress. Her struggle for a united three years
education for all nurses together with her initiative to
establish courses for graduate nurses, were Bergljot
Larssons most significant enterprises. She was also
considerably internationally orientated, and participated in
the development of Scandinavian as well as of international
nursing.
* Source:
Bergljot Larsson and modern nursing,
thesis written by Sigrun Hvalvik, Associate Professor,
Telemark University College, Faculty of Health and Social
Studies.
