School of Health in Social Science

Elsie Stephenson memorial lectures

Details of our historic Elsie Stephenson lectures from 2012 onward. Described in the Journal of Advanced Nursing as “Britain’s nursing messiah of the 20th century”, Elsie Stephenson became the University's first Director of the Nursing Studies Unit in 1956.

Elsie Stephenson memorial lecture 2018

This lecture celebrates the work of Elsie Stephenson, the first Director of the first academic department of nursing in Europe, established at the University of Edinburgh in 1956. The memorial lecture was founded by Nursing Studies in recognition of Elsie’s visionary qualities, dynamism and her significant contribution to the development of the nursing profession on the world stage. This lecture references Elsie Stephenson’s legacy and focuses on maternity services and putting the patient at the centre of their care.

Elsie Stephenson memorial lecture 2016

In this special year, we invited Professor Roger Watson, Professor of Nursing at the University of Hull and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Advanced Nursing to give this prestigious lecture.

Elsie Stephenson Memorial Lecture 2014

This year's lecture was given by Claire Goodman, whose research has explored the contribution of nursing to the support of frail older people living at home. Her work examines how nurses influence what can and cannot be achieved.