Remembering Pamela J. Brink (Sept 24, 1933-August 5, 2025)
It is with sadness that I learned that Pamela Brink, aged 92, died on August 5th, 2025, in Prescott, Arizona.
Her contribution to nursing education was legendary. She was part of a generation of nurse-anthropologists who insisted on nurses’ deep assessment of cultural aspects of health as they shaped responsive nursing care. One of my first published papers appeared in Western Journal of Nursing Research (WJNR), and was better for the firm editorial hand of Dr. Pamela Brink.
Dr. Brink contributed to nursing research in the West, beginning with precursor organizations to the Western Institute of Nursing: WCHEN (the Western Council on Higher Education in Nursing), WSRN (Western Society for Research in Nursing), and then WIN (Western Institute of Nursing) are legendary. She served as founding editor of the Western Journal of Nursing Research (WJNR) and then went on to serve as Editor-in-Chief of that journal for 24 years. Her leadership developed journal to become a major resource for nursing research and scholarly dialogue. As a professor at UCLA, University of Iowa, and the University of Alberta—usually with dual appointments in nursing and anthropology—she was committed to teaching the principles of cross-cultural patient care and basic research methods.
Dr. Brink authored many books, including Transcultural Nursing (1976, Prentice Hall); with Marilynn Wood Basic Steps in Planning Nursing Research: From Question to Proposal (1988, Jones & Bartlett), and Advanced Design in Nursing Research, (1998, Sage). She also published two autobiographies: An academic Nurse’s Tale (2021, Archway Publishing), and with her late brothers, Robert and John Brink: Only by the Grace of God: One family’s story of survival during World War II as Prisoners of War in the Philippines (Archway Publishing).
The Western Institute of Nursing connects a diverse community of nurses in the West, and Dr. Brink shared our commitment to improving health through excellence in nursing research, practice, and education. She held high expectations for our profession, and worked to improve our practice. We celebrate her life and contributions to nursing.
https://www.ruffnerwakelin.com/obituaries/pamela-brink
Lauren Clark, PhD, RN, FAAN
WIN President