The University of Iowa College of Nursing records date from 1887 to 2005 and measure 5.75 linear feet. The records are arranged in six series: Departmental history, Publications, Iowa Nursing Center, Photographs, Newspaper clippings, and Artifacts. The records held by the Iowa Women's Archives are primarily concerned with the history of the college; the University of Iowa Archives holds the administrative and academic records of the college. Many of the materials in this collection were housed originally in the Heritage Room in the College of Nursing until the contents of the room were disbursed in 2003.

The Departmental History series (1887-2005) contains administrative documents and correspondence pertaining to the College of Nursing budget, admissions, and curriculum, and catalogs and memorabilia from commencement proceedings, the college's inauguration, and the building dedication. Included are a handwritten letter by a navy nurse stationed in Pearl Harbor in 1945, and correspondence concerning the background and donation of a 1750 glass breast pump and a bisque doll dressed in an early University Hospital nursing uniform. Many of these items were originally housed in the College of Nursing's Heritage Room.

The Publications series (1926-1973) consists of notebooks, books, and articles concerning the history of nursing, nursing in Iowa, and nursing as a profession. Procedure manuals detail the rules, schedules, and standard nursing protocol at Mercy Hospital and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

The Iowa Nursing Center series (1985-1990) documents the formal organization and development of this company, which was owned and operated by registered nurses. The purpose of the Iowa Nursing Center was to promote nursing as an autonomous profession. The Iowa Nursing Center was housed within the UI College of Nursing, and Dean Geraldene Felton served as president of the first board of directors. The Center offered consultation services for nursing professionals, and health assessments, referrals, and health promotion services for children, adults, and the elderly in work places, schools, clinics, and homes.

An extensive collection of Photographs (1907-1988) depicts a wide variety of nursing activities, in addition to class photographs and formal portraits of faculty and students, departmental social events, and university buildings. The bulk of the series consists of professional photographs and negatives of nursing students at work with patients, in the classroom, and at leisure.

The social activities, academic accomplishments and departmental events of the College of Nursing are documented in the Newspaper Clippings series (1897-1991). The newspaper clippings are in bound three-ring notebooks; newspaper clippings from 1907-1949 were removed from their original notebooks for preservation purposes.

The Artifacts series (1750, 1900s) consists of nursing uniforms and medical equipment such as syringes and a leather bag used by nurses on house calls. Artifacts donated to the Heritage Room include a 1750 glass breast pump and a bisque doll that is dressed in the University Hospital nursing uniform.