Ulrikke Eleonore "Rikke" Nissen (16 March 1834 – 10 January 1892) was a Norwegian nursing teacher; the first female nursing teacher in Norway. She was born in

Trondhjem Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

as a daughter of merchant Martinus Nissen (1800–1836) and Ida Susanne Amalie Hagerup (1808–1885). Her father died when she was only one year old, and she grew up in

Romedal Romedal is a former municipality in the old Hedmark county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964 when it became part of Stange Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of ...

after her mother married Severin Henrik Ræder (1800–1878). She was a sister of Bolette Gjør, niece of Hartvig Nissen, grandniece of

Henrich Steffens Henrik Steffens (2 May 1773 – 13 February 1845), was a Norwegian philosopher, scientist, and poet. Early life, education, and lectures He was born at Stavanger. At the age of fourteen he went with his parents to Copenhagen, where he studied ...

, great-granddaughter of Martinus Lind Nissen and a first cousin of Prime Minister

Francis Hagerup George Francis Hagerup (22 January 1853 – 8 February 1921) was a Norwegian law professor, diplomat, politician for the Conservative Party and women's rights advocate. He was the 7th prime minister of Norway from 1895 to 1898 and from 1903 ...

. She was an aunt of Claus Riiber. She was homeschooled until 1847, when she enrolled in Lotz Girls School in Christiania. Her sister Bolette also moved to attend school in the capital, and underwent a religious awakening in the milieu of

Gisle Johnson Gisle Christian Johnson (10 September 1822 – 17 July 1894) was a leading 19th-century Norwegian theologian and educator. Biography Gisle Christian Johnson was born at Fredrikshald (now Halden) in Østfold, Norway. He grew up at Kristiansand ...

. Nissen became familiar with this awakening, and the network of women's missionary associations which her sister worked to establish. At the same time, in 1851 a Deaconess House was established in

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropoli ...

, to educate nurses in a Christian setting. Through numerous magazine articles Nissen began agitating for such an institution in Christiania. In 1868 the Deaconess House (now: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College) was founded with

Cathinka Guldberg Cathinka Augusta Guldberg (3 January 1840 – 22 October 1919) was a Norwegian nurse, educator and deaconess. She was associated with the development of nursing education in Norway. Biography Guldberg was born in the city of Christiania (now Os ...

as manager. Nissen travelled in Germany to study similar institutions there, and was subsequently hired as a teacher at the Deaconess House in 1870. In 1877 she wrote Norway's first

textbook A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions. Schoolbooks are textboo ...

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

, ''Lærebog i Sygepleie'', under the pseudonym R.N. The following year she visited a similar institution in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

; in 1878 her sister moved to Christiania and was hired at the Deaconess House as well. From 1884 to 1891 Nissen edited the magazine ''Fra Diakonissehuset''. Between 1885 and 1888 she stayed in Germany to overcome

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including art ...

. She wrote two books in German following this stay: ''Norwegische Bilder aus der Geschichte der weiblichen Diakonie, nebst anderen Liebeswerken'' (1886) and ''

Henriette Gislesen Henriette Jakobine Martine Gislesen, née Vibe (9 April 1809 – 20 May 1859) was a Norwegian writer. Biography Gislesen was born in Bergen, Norway. She was the sixth of eight children born to Niels Andreas Vibe (1759–1814) and Margery Kierulff ...

und ihre Freunde. Ein Bild aus der norwegischen Kirche'' (1890). She died in January 1892 in Kristiania and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nissen, Rikke 1834 births 1892 deaths People from Stange Health professionals from Oslo 19th-century Norwegian educators Norwegian magazine editors Norwegian women editors Norwegian women writers Norwegian women journalists Norwegian writers Burials at the Cemetery of Our Saviour 19th-century journalists 19th-century Norwegian writers