The International Philosophy of Nursing Society (IPONS) was launched in September 2003 at the 7th International Philosophy of Nursing Conference held at the University of Stirling in Scotland.
The broad purpose of the Society is to bring together individuals from different countries into an international network to promote and support the growing discipline of philosophy of nursing.
The aims of IPONS are:
- to promote and establish philosophy of nursing, and health care in general, as a credible and important field of philosophical and critical inquiry;
- to establish a growing international network for this purpose;
- to conduct and support philosophical inquiry in a manner that informs and engages with health care practice, theory, research, education and policy from national and international perspectives;
- to support philosophical inquiry into nursing and health care across cultures and countries, including those who may find it difficult for their voices to be heard.
The Society, in association with Wiley-Blackwell, has its own scholarly journal, Nursing Philosophy which is published four times per year.
It also organises and hosts the Annual International Philosophy of Nursing Conference.
The Society is a legal entity with an approved constitution.
It has an executive committee with international representation who administer its affairs.