First published on 16 March 1905, the Nursing Times was established to keep nurses up to date on the nursing industry and on clinical issues. Costing just one penny and filling sixteeen pages in its early days, the Nursing Times was edited by German-born journalist Swanhilde Bulan for its first 21 years.

The Nursing Times published information supporting a range of different nursing specialities, such as ophthalmic nursing, fever nursing, district nursing and midwifery. Its readers could also learn about the latest advancements in the treatment of various conditions, such as throat diseases and lumbago, through the publication’s pages.

A mirror of the times through a nursing lens, when the First World War broke out in 1914 the Nursing Times extensively covered the work of nurses in the conflict, both on the home front and on the front lines. Its expanded format of 40 pages was accompanied by photographs, providing an important record of nursing during this period.

As the First World War ended, the Nursing Times went on to cover the devastating Spanish flu epidemic, providing reports of the spread of influenza across Britain and beyond, whilst printing adverts for products promising to prevent the disease.

Meanwhile, as nursing during the early 20th century was almost exclusively a woman’s industry, the Nursing Times presents a compelling record of women’s work during a period in which many women could not even vote, when nursing existed as one of the few professions seen as respectable at the time.

A forum for nurses to express their opinions, and to keep informed on their industry and clinical advancements, the Nursing Times as a publication lasted well into the 21st century, its final printed version appearing in 2025. It exists still as a website and today it is the largest nursing website outside of the United States.