NURSE BETWEEN THE LINES: ROMANIAN FEMALE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION FELLOWS IN MEDICAL PROFESSIONS IN-BETWEEN INNOVATION AND SUPPRESSION
NURSE BETWEEN THE LINES: ROMANIAN FEMALE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION FELLOWS IN MEDICAL PROFESSIONS IN-BETWEEN INNOVATION AND SUPPRESSION

Summary/Abstract: This paper explores the role of nurses with specialized training in Romania in the inter- and post-war period until the Communist takeover in 1948. It focuses on the Rockefeller Foundation’s support for encouraging modern nursing education in the interwar period and beyond, until the curtailing of academic relations. The research highlights how prejudices related to women’s abilities and role in medical science and practice have informed the perception of healthcare by decision-making authorities in Romania. It examines the international support for modern medical education and the response of the Romanian authorities to these initiatives, analysing the position of nurses as professionals and gender relations in this historical framework. This paper applies an interdisciplinary approach in the assessment of fellowship records, reports, diaries and pertinent observations from Rockefeller Foundation representatives. The research is centred around the relationship between the concepts of health, beauty and fashion used in propaganda regarding women’s roles. Primary sources include Romanian publications between 1920 and 1948 and documents from Rockefeller Foundation representatives. The aim is to follow and deepen the understanding of the professional trajectory of Romanian female medical professionals with Rockefeller Foundation support. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of gender studies throughout history in Romania and provides a theoretical and practical basis for future research in the field of medical and related sciences.

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