The Contribution of Medicine to Our Idea of the Mind

education. Dr. Bridgman clarifies the nature of that responsibility. She gives the reasons for the present critical deficiencies in nursing service, pointing out why the demand has increased so markedly and why the supply falls far short of the needs of the people, even though there are more nurses active than ever before. An historical review of the development of nursing education explains why schools of nursing have, until recently, been established in hospitals rather than in educational institutions. Even now, of approximately 1,100 schools of nursing in the United States, only ten per cent have "degree" programs administered and controlled by colleges and universities. The author gives full credit to the leaders of nursing education who have had the vision and the strength to foster the development of the collegiate school and to those institutions of higher learning which have recognized the rights of nurses to an education on a par with other professional workers. On the other hand, she does not spare criticism of those institutions which have considered nursing as an opportunistic sideline. Reference is made to the wide range and variety of essential functions all classified under "nursing" and to the variety of educational patterns necessary to prepare for those functions. The special plea of this book is for higher standards of education in the established institutions of higher learning, to prepare the well-qualified professional nurse, whose responsibilities for the maintenance of health and for the care of the physically and emotionally ill are far greater than is realized by those not intimately concerned with the problem. Dr. Bridgman presents a challenge to higher education in no uncertain terms: ". . . it seems undeniable that failure of the educational system to provide opportunities and maintain standards for nursing education is a crucial deterrent to an adequate supply of qualified nursing personnel and therefore to the maintenance of health services at the level demanded by our stage of social development." One may hope that this timely book will be studied by all those concerned with education and with the health needs of the nation.