Methods: All relevant literature concerning the degree name of university based nursing education from 1952 to 1980 was collected. Then we analyzed the rationale behind the change of the degree name based on related persons.
Results:
We identified three shifts in rationale behind the degree name changes.
1. The first, "Bachelor of Nursing", was provided by a prefectural university, “A”. “A” was a pre WWII women’s medical college which failed to meet the modern, post WWII standard and being aware of the GHQ policy of nursing education improvement. Recognizing an opportunity, they consequently named the degree "Bachelor of Nursing", without official objection.
2. The second, "Bachelor of Health Care and Nursing" was provided by a national university, “B”. This was established in its faculty of medicine. Professors of medicine claimed the word “nursing” lacked science and added “health care”. Unsatisfied, even with this addition, they finally changed the degree name to "Bachelor of Health Sciences".
The third, a National University, “C”, the first national university to establish an independent faculty of nursing in 1975. When they established a master course, they demanded to provide "Master of Nursing". A national level of official committee was convened where one member alone, who held a nursing license, successfully proved that the discipline of nursing has original purpose, subject and methodology. Thereafter "Bachelor of Nursing" along with "Master of Nursing" was officially admitted.
Conclusion: Establishing the nursing discipline was accomplished by the solitary member who could prove that the discipline of nursing has original purpose, subject and methodology in the Dawn of University Based Nursing Education in Japan.