Experiences of Australian Army theatre nurses.

As battles have raged throughout the centuries, nurses have cared for ill and wounded soldiers. One nursing role during war is theatre (i.e., OR) nursing. This article describes the role of Australian Army theatre nurses during the Vietnam War. It is based on information collected in a study of the experiences of Australian Army nurses who worked in operating theatres in Vietnam between 1967 and 1971. As nurses today focus on the future to find new ways to meet the demands of nursing ahead, it is important to reflect on the past, as they can learn from history and from other nurses' experiences.