Virginia Henderson and her timeless writings.

This paper provides a reflection on the written works of Miss Virginia Avenel Henderson. Miss Henderson is a nurse, a scientist, an artist and a quintessential human being--all traits which informed her written output. Nursing practice, research and education were all subjects of her extensive chronicle. The four-volume Nursing Studies Index is her contribution to nursing research. The Index was sandwiched between two revisions of Principles and Practice of Nursing (5th and 6th eds), the placement of which caused the Index to focus on practice and the Principles (6th ed.) to be based on research. The sixth edition of Principles, written with Gladys Nite and 17 contributors, is considered the most important single professional document written in the twentieth century. The book synthesizes nursing practice, education, theory and research in an age when many nurses are challenged by the seeming incongruity in these essential professional functions.