Sigma Theta Tau

History

In 1922 six Indiana University students at the Indiana University Training School for Nurses (the present-day IU School of Nursing) founded Sigma Theta Tau at their dormitory in Indianapolis, Indiana. They were Dorothy Garrigus Adams, Elizabeth Russell Belford, Edith Moore Copeland, Marie Hippensteel Lingeman, Elizabeth McWilliams Miller, and Mary Tolle Wright

They had the support of the director of the Indiana University Training School for Nurses, Ethel Palmer Clarke (served 1915-1931), who is noted by the Society as being "instrumental" in their endeavor. The founders' vision for the new honor society was to advance the nursing profession as a science, support nursing scholarship, and to recognize its leaders. IU's Alpha chapter was officially chartered on , with the organization's first national conference held in 1929 in Indianapolis.

In 1936 the organization "funded the first recorded research grant" for nursing in the United States. Since that time the organization has awarded more than $100,000 annually for nursing research around the world. Sigma’s Center for Nursing Scholarship was constructed on the IUPUI campus in 1989.

By 2014 the society’s membership had grown to 130,000 active members in more than 85 countries and territories. More than 500,000 nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma. It is the second largest nursing organization in the world.

Symbols

The society's name is derived from the initials of three Greek words Στοργή (grc; Love), Θάρρος (grc, Courage) and Τιμή (Timé, Honor) Its motto is "Improving world health through knowledge". Its colors are orchid and fuchsia. The symbols of the society are six stars, representing the founders, and the lamp of knowledge. Its flower is the orchid. Its nickname is Sigmas.

Membership

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students, who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing.

Graduate students (master's and doctorate) must have completed half of the nursing curriculum; achieve academic excellence (at schools where a 4.0 grade point average system is used, this equates to a 3.5 or higher); and meet the expectation of academic integrity. They must also be in the top 35 percent of their nursing program cohort.

Nurse leader candidates must be legally recognized to practice nursing in his/her country; have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent in any field; and demonstrate achievement in nursing.

Initiatives

Sigma Theta Tau was one of the first organizations to fund nursing research in the United States. A US $600 grant awarded to Alice Crist Malone of Ohio State University in 1936 supported research to measure student achievement based on new curriculum objectives.

With its chapters and grant partners (corporations, associations, and foundations) the society contributes more than US $650,000 annually to nursing research through grants, scholarships and monetary awards. More than 250 research-oriented educational programs are sponsored or co-sponsored annually by Sigma in the United States and internationally. The honor society has underwritten more than 250 small or "seed" grants, which often begin a whole body of research. These peer-reviewed grants are often the first recognition of potent concepts that eventually lead to major, wide-scale research projects and innovation in the nursing profession.

Sigma also has a nursing research repository, the Virginia Henderson Global Nursing e-Repository, which offers nurses access to nursing research and evidence-based knowledge.

Chapters

Main article: List of Sigma Theta Tau chapters

Its 580 chapters are located on more than 700 college and university campuses in the United States and countries including Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, China (Hong Kong), Eswatini, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania and the United Kingdom.

Notable members

Main article: List of Sigma Theta Tau members

Sigma Theta Tau has approximately 135,000 active members.

Publications

The society’s publishing arm produces two scholarly journals and numerous other publications.

Journals

• Journal of Nursing Scholarship is the official journal of Sigma Theta Tau. It was originally titled Image when first published starting in 1967, then continued as Image: the journal of nursing scholarship from 1984 until 1999.
• Worldviews on Evidence Based Nursing, a peer-reviewed, evidence-based nursing journal, is a bimonthly primary source of information to improve patient care circulated since 2004. Another periodical of Online journal of knowledge synthesis for nursing.

Books

Books are published covering the themes among: career advice, clinical information, education resources, leadership support and training, research guides and tools, as well as technology insights and answers contrasted with publications on more general topics related to a nurse's lifestyle, society and culture, target readership consists of clinical nurses and faculty members as well as nurse leaders, from student or new nurse to researchers.

Since 2007, Sigma Theta Tau has been awarded annually a publishing merit by the American Journal of Nursing by the judging board of nursing executives, college professors and clinicians. In 2018, there were two titles awarded.

• {{cite book | editor = Sigma Theta Tau | title = Journal of nursing scholarship | publisher = Sigma Theta Tau International | year = 2000
• {{cite book | author1 = Freshwater, Dawn | author2 = Taylor, Beverley J. (Beverley Joan) | author3 = Sherwood, Gwen | author4 = Sigma Theta Tau | title = International textbook of reflective practice in nursing | publisher = Blackwell, Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing | year = 2008
• • 2nd Place 2018 AJN Book of the Year
• • 2nd Place, 2018 AJN Book of the Year

References

References

1. [https://www.sigmanursing.org/learn-grow/publications/journals The Journal and Worldviews website], accessed 17 Jul 2021.
2. [https://www.sigmanursing.org/why-sigma/about-sigma/sigma-organizational-fact-sheet/stti-founders Founders bios, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society website], accessed 17 Jul 2021.
3. Dorcas Irene Rock. (1956). "A History of the Indiana University Training School for Nurses". Indiana University.
4. Leslie Flowers. (2014). "A Legacy of Leadership: Indiana University School of Nursing 1914–2014". Indiana University Press.
5. Flowers, p. 94.
6. "The founders". Sigma Theta Tau International.
7. [https://www.otterbein.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Nursing-Graduate-Handbook.pdf Nursing Graduate Handbook]
8. "Awards - XI Chapter Research Award Winners 2018".
9. (16 September 2015). "The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International Names Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell as its 2015 Episteme Award Recipient".
10. PRNewswire-USNewswire. (15 December 2017). "WGU's Nursing Sigma Chapter Earns Two Regional Excellence Awards".
11. Daniel Pesut. (February 2004). "on SigmaTheta Tau International". Nurseweek.
12. (April 11, 2019). "History – Virginia Henderson Repository".
13. "Chapters".
14. "Journal of Nursing Scholarship".
15. (2004). "Worldviews on evidence-based nursing". Blackwell Pub. for Sigma Theta Tau International.
16. (2015). "Effectiveness of a Brief, Basic Evidence-Based Practice Course for Clinical Nurses". Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing.
17. (2004). "Worldviews on evidence-based nursing". Sigma Theta Tau International.
18. (2019). "Book of the Year Awards 2018". American Journal of Nursing.
19. (28 December 2018). "American Journal of Nursing announces 2018 Book of the Year awards".