Wang Xiuying

Wang Xiuying (王秀瑛; sometimes transliterated as Hsui-ying Wang or Hsu-ying Wang; b. 1908, disappeared October 1990) was a Chinese nurse, educator, and public health advocate. She graduated from the Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in 1931 and studied at the Columbia University Teachers College in 1935. Wang began her career teaching at PUMC and conducting public health research and promotion. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, she helped establish a temporary nursing school at West China Union University. In the 1950s she trained and supervised Chinese nurses during the Korean War, worked at the Beijing Bureau of Public Health, and established three new nursing schools. In 1961, she headed the nursing department at Beijing Second Medical College.

Wang founded the Chinese Journal of Nursing and served as vice-chairman of the Chinese Nursing Association board of directors for more than 35 years. She served as a deputy to the National People's Congress twice. In 1983, Wang became the first Chinese recipient of the Florence Nightingale Medal for distinguished nursing. She received an honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Nursing in 1985.

Early life and education Wang was born in 1908 in Baoding City, Hebei. She had a sister, and their parents were both teachers. Upon graduation, she began working at PUMC's affiliated hospital.

In June 1935, Wang and two other Chinese nurses travelled to the United States to attend a week-long course in public health teaching methods at the University of Minnesota and subsequently complete a year of further study at Columbia University. Wang was a member of the Teachers College Rural Club during her time at Columbia, and she received her M.A. degree from Columbia University Teachers College in the 1935–36 academic year.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese army took control of PUMC in late 1941, and staff were forced to evacuate. PUMC staff and alumni decided to set up a temporary school of nursing at the West China Union University (WCUU), Wang was transferred to the Beijing Bureau of Public Health in 1954 and proceeded to help establish three new nursing schools in China, becoming principal of the third school. In 1961, she was made head of the nursing department of the Beijing Second Medical College. She founded the Chinese Journal of Nursing and continued to run training courses on public health and skills for head nurses. In 1985, she received an honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Nursing. Wang served as nursing advisor for Tongren Hospital during the 1980s and was chairman of the Popular Science Commission.

Disappearance According to biographer Wolfgang Bartke, Wang disappeared in October 1990.

Published works