Winifred W. Logan

Winifred W. Logan (11 April 1926 – 2 April 2025) was a British nurse theorist who was co-author of the Roper-Logan-Tierney model of nursing, and became an executive director of the International Council of Nurses, and Chief Nurse in Abu Dhabi.

Early life and studies Winifred W. Logan Gordon was born on 11 April 1926, and trained as a nurse at the University of Edinburgh, and later took a Masters Degree there

Logan started a teaching post at the University of Edinburgh School of Nursing from 1962. a consultant for the World Health Organisation (WHO) Between 1976 and 1980, Nancy Roper invited Logan and Alison J. Tierney (also an Edinburgh alumna and staff member) to collaborate on a model of nursing. After her writing on nursing theory, Logan became Chief Nursing Officer of Abu Dhabi, establishing nursing services there.

"The Roper-Logan-Tierney model is based upon activities of living, which evolved from the work of Virginia Henderson in 1966. The activities of daily living are the key to the model of care which seeks to define “what living means:”

maintaining a safe environment communication breathing eating and drinking elimination washing and dressing temperature control mobilization working and playing expressing sexuality sleeping death and dying

The factors that influence activities of living are biological, psychological, sociocultural, environmental, and politicoeconomic. These factors make the model holistic, and if they are not included in assessment, it will be both incomplete and flawed."

The authors developed the model up unto a paperback edition (in 2000) which, according to publisher's synopsis was one of the 'author's own assessment of the Roper-Logan-Tierney (RLT) model's use in practice and its place in future nursing development, a unique set of insights... an 'authoritative and complete account of the most influential nursing model in the UK and one of the most influential in the world.'

The impact of the method was also recognised as potential pioneering theory, 'since its inception to influence high quality nursing care provision.' or (in 2006) a case study on pain control.

Logan was included in the compendium of 'Nursing Theorists and Their Work '.

For more detail see: Roper–Logan–Tierney model of nursing

Personal life and death After retirement, Logan married widower William J. Gordon, who died in 2009. Logan died on 2 April 2025, at the age of 98. Her memorial took place on 24 April, at Mortonhall Crematorium Edinburgh.

Publications with Nancy Roper and Alison J. Tierney:

Learning to Use the Process of Nursing, 1981 The Elements of Nursing (2nd edition, 1985) The Elements of Nursing: a model for nursing based on a model for living, (3rd edition, 1990), 4th edition, 1996)

and later, in her last year of life, with Alison J.Tierney:

The Roper-Logan-Tierney Model of Nursing: Based on Activities of Living, 2010.

The RLT model editions have been translated into Italian, German, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, Lithuanian, Portuguese and Japanese.