Sigma Theta Tau
Encyclopedia
The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International exists to improve the health of people by increasing the scientific base of nursing research
. It is the second-largest nursing organization in the world with approximately 125,000 active members.
While often referred to by nurses as "Sigma Theta Tau" or even just "Sigma" the actual name is "The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International".
. The founders chose the society’s name from the meaning of the Greek words Storge, Tharsos, and Time: “love,” “courage” and “honor.” The founders’ vision for the society helped bring recognition to nursing
as a science. In 1936 it became the first organization in the United States
to fund nursing research. Since then the 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.
More than 360,000 nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau. With 125,000 active members, it is the second largest nursing organization in the world. Members are active in more than 90 countries and territories, and the 431 chapters are located on 515 college and university campuses in the U.S. and countries including Australia
, Botswana
, Brazil
, Canada
, Colombia
, England
, Hong Kong
, Korea
, Mexico
, The Netherlands, Pakistan
, South Africa
, Swaziland
, Taiwan
, Tanzania
and Wales
.
Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students, who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. Sixty-one percent of active members hold master’s and/or doctoral degrees. Forty-eight percent are clinicians, 21 percent are administrators or supervisors and 20 percent are educators or researchers.
The society’s publishing arm produces two scholarly journals and numerous other publications designed to fulfill the society’s mission of disseminating nursing knowledge:
The Journal of Nursing Scholarship is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal in nursing with a global circulation of 125,000 published on behalf of the Society by Blackwell Publishing
.
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that connects best evidence to best practice applications for clinical practice, nursing administration, nursing education and public health care policy. Published on behalf of the Society by Blackwell Publishing.
Nursing research
Nursing research is the term used to describe the evidence used to support nursing practice. Nursing, as an evidence based area of practice, has been developing since the time of Florence Nightingale to the present day, where many nurses now work as researchers based in universities as well as in...
. It is the second-largest nursing organization in the world with approximately 125,000 active members.
While often referred to by nurses as "Sigma Theta Tau" or even just "Sigma" the actual name is "The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International".
History
The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International was founded in 1922 at Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. The founders chose the society’s name from the meaning of the Greek words Storge, Tharsos, and Time: “love,” “courage” and “honor.” The founders’ vision for the society helped bring recognition to nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
as a science. In 1936 it became the first organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to fund nursing research. Since then the 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.
More than 360,000 nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau. With 125,000 active members, it is the second largest nursing organization in the world. Members are active in more than 90 countries and territories, and the 431 chapters are located on 515 college and university campuses in the U.S. and countries including Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, The Netherlands, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students, who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. Sixty-one percent of active members hold master’s and/or doctoral degrees. Forty-eight percent are clinicians, 21 percent are administrators or supervisors and 20 percent are educators or researchers.
Initiatives
The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, was one of the first organizations to fund nursing research in the United States, awarding a $600 grant to Alice Crist Malone in 1936. With its chapters and grant partners (corporations, associations and foundations) the society contributes more than $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 Theta Tau International in the U.S. and internationally.The society’s publishing arm produces two scholarly journals and numerous other publications designed to fulfill the society’s mission of disseminating nursing knowledge:
The Journal of Nursing Scholarship is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal in nursing with a global circulation of 125,000 published on behalf of the Society by Blackwell Publishing
Blackwell Publishing
Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons. It was formed by the merger of John Wiley's Global Scientific, Technical, and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing, after Wiley took over Blackwell Publishing in...
.
Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that connects best evidence to best practice applications for clinical practice, nursing administration, nursing education and public health care policy. Published on behalf of the Society by Blackwell Publishing.