The prestigious European Journal for Nursing History and Ethics has announced its call for abstracts for its eighth issue, scheduled for publication in 2026. This interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed Open Access e-Journal spans the Humanities, Nursing Science, Social Sciences, and Cultural Studies, publishing annually with each edition featuring a specific theme alongside an open section for various topics.

“To Become a Nurse”: Theme for 2026

The upcoming issue will explore the theme “To Become a Nurse,” focusing on the historical development of nursing education and ethical training across Europe. The journal aims to examine how nursing education models have evolved differently across countries, influenced by various factors including academization processes and denominational nursing traditions.

The special issue will identify and discuss differences in developments, societal conditions, and structural frameworks that have shaped nursing education historically. A central focus will be the formation of professional and ethical standards within the nursing profession.

Historical and Ethical Perspectives

The call for abstracts highlights that the question of how to become a “good” nurse has a long history in nursing debates and remains relevant today. Even in early nursing training, developing a nurse’s character was considered as important as practical and theoretical training. In modern nursing education, developing an ethical attitude continues to play a crucial role alongside teaching ethical foundations.

Researchers may explore historical topics such as:

• Evolution of concepts guiding nursing training
• Development of nursing training content over time
• Influence of nursing science on training practices
• Integration of theoretical and practical training
• Role of character development and ethical attitude formation

Ethical questions for consideration include:

• Methods for teaching ethical education and developing ethical attitudes
• Conceptual and practical challenges in ethics teaching
• Effective pedagogical approaches for teaching nursing ethics
• Framework conditions needed for quality ethics education

Submission Details

The journal is seeking contributions for:

• The themed section on “To Become a Nurse”
• The open section for various topics
• “Lost and Found” section (for shorter articles on remarkable objects, texts, pictures, or movies relevant to nursing history and ethics)
• “Forum” section (for shorter articles on current debates)

Important deadlines:

• Abstract submission: May 31, 2025
• Manuscript submission: November 30, 2025

The journal publishes original research on European nursing history and the reciprocal relationships between European and non-European societies. Authors must declare that their submissions have not been published elsewhere. Publishing in this Open Access journal is free of charge.

Why Submit?

This opportunity allows researchers in nursing history and ethics to contribute to important discussions about how nursing education has evolved and how ethical considerations have shaped the profession. By examining historical contexts and current challenges, contributors can help shape understanding of nursing education’s past, present, and future.

Researchers interested in the intersection of nursing history, ethics, education, and professional development are encouraged to consider submitting their work to this respected journal.