Sigma Theta Tau Explained

Sigma Theta Tau
Letters:Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΣΘΤ
Coat Of Arms:File:The_crest_of_Sigma_Theta_Tau.png
Alt:Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma)
Birthplace:Indiana University
Affiliation:ACHS
Status:Active
Type:Honor
Emphasis:Nursing
Scope:International
Motto:"Improving world health through knowledge"
Symbol:Six stars, Lamp of Knowledge
Flower:Orchid
Publication:Journal of Nursing Scholarship (JNS),
   Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing [1]
Nickname:Sigmas
Chapters:540
Members:135,000
Lifetime:525,000
Address:550 W. North Street
City:Indianapolis
State:Indiana
Zip Code:46202
Country:United States

The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΣΘΤ) is the second-largest nursing organization in the world with approximately 135,000 active members.

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:

  • Mary Tolle Wright
  • Edith Moore Copeland
  • Marie Hippensteel Lingeman
  • Elizabeth Russell Belford
  • Elizabeth McWilliams Miller
  • Dorothy Garrigus Adams

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.[2]

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.[3] [4]

The society's name is derived from the initials of three Greek words: storga, tharos, and tima, which mean "love," "courage," and "honor."[4] [5] [6]

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.[4]

Sigma’s Center for Nursing Scholarship was constructed on the IUPUI campus in 1989.[7] By 2014 the society’s membership had grown to 130,000 active members in more than eighty-five countries and territories.[4]

Membership

More than 500,000 nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma. It is the second largest nursing organization in the world. 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.

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; 56% have a specialty certification; 48% are clinicians; 40% have more than 15 years of work experience; 21% are administrators or supervisors, and 20% are educators or researchers. In addition to English, members are fluent in 20 other languages including Spanish, Dutch and Finnish.

As for the honor system, in July 2019, the 176th inductee was accepted in the Hall of Fame during a formal induction ceremony in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, during the 30th International Nursing Research Congress, among other honorees coming from Sweden, Canada, Australia and the United States.[8]

Student membership criteria

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 membership criteria

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.[4]

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.[9] [10] [11] More than 250 research-oriented educational programs are sponsored or co-sponsored annually by Sigma in the United States and internationally.[12] 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,[13] which offers nurses access to nursing research and evidence-based knowledge.

Publications

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

Journals

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.[18] [19]

Symbolism

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.sigmanursing.org/learn-grow/publications/journals The Journal and Worldviews website
  2. https://www.sigmanursing.org/why-sigma/about-sigma/sigma-organizational-fact-sheet/stti-founders Founders bios, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society website
  3. Book: Dorcas Irene Rock. A History of the Indiana University Training School for Nurses . Indiana University . I . 1956 . Bloomington . 47–48. 12429556 .
  4. Book: Leslie Flowers . A Legacy of Leadership: Indiana University School of Nursing 1914–2014 . Indiana University Press . I . 2014 . Indianapolis . 31 . 978-0-253-01532-7.
  5. Web site: The founders . 2008-06-22 . Sigma Theta Tau International.
  6. Book: Jack L. . Anson . Robert F. . Marchenasi . Baird's Manual of American Fraternities . 20th . 1991 . 1879 . Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. . Indianapolis, IN . 978-0963715906 . VI-109–110.
  7. Flowers, p. 94.
  8. Web site: International Honor Society inducts CWRU researcher into Hall of Fame. Manjila. Nihal. 22 March 2019. The Observer. 11 April 2019.
  9. Web site: Awards - XI Chapter Research Award Winners 2018. Penn Nursing. en. 11 April 2019.
  10. Web site: The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International Names Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell as its 2015 Episteme Award Recipient. 16 September 2015. www.baxter.com. en. 11 April 2019.
  11. Web site: WGU's Nursing Sigma Chapter Earns Two Regional Excellence Awards. PRNewswire-USNewswire. 15 December 2017. insider.com. 11 April 2019.
  12. Daniel Pesut. February 2004. on SigmaTheta Tau International. Nurseweek. 2007-01-14. dead. https://archive.today/20120904213853/http://www.nurseweek.com/5min/pesut.asp. 2012-09-04.
  13. Web site: History – Virginia Henderson Repository. April 11, 2019. Sigma Theta Tau International. https://web.archive.org/web/20190411113522/https://www.nursingrepository.org/history/. 2019-04-11. 2019-04-11.
  14. Web site: Journal of Nursing Scholarship. www.sigmanursing.org. 2017-11-28.
  15. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing. Worldviews on Evidence Based Nursing. Sigma Theta Tau International. 2004. Blackwell Pub. for Sigma Theta Tau International. 1545-102X. 2003214252. Indianapolis, IN. en-US. 1089031180. registration.
  16. Ramos‐Morcillo. Antonio J.. Fernández‐Salazar. Serafín. Ruzafa‐Martínez. María. Del‐Pino‐Casado. Rafael. 2015. Effectiveness of a Brief, Basic Evidence-Based Practice Course for Clinical Nurses. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. en. 12. 4. 199–207. 10.1111/wvn.12103. 26220505. 1741-6787. free.
  17. Book: Worldviews on evidence-based nursing. limited . Sigma Theta Tau International. 2004. Sigma Theta Tau International. Indianapolis, IN. en-US. 1089031180.
  18. 2019. Book of the Year Awards 2018. American Journal of Nursing. en-US. 119. 1. 68–71. 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000552608.81405.a0. 0002-936X. free.
  19. Web site: American Journal of Nursing announces 2018 Book of the Year awards. 28 December 2018. EurekAlert!. en. 11 April 2019.