There is evidence that nurses have been involved in, or have been affected by health-related computer projects since the mid-1960's. Since those early years nurses have made many significant contributions to the wider bio-health informatics agenda. This article reflects on the evolution of Nursing Informatics, from attempts to define the discipline, through the development of support systems, to the current state-of-the-science for one particular and important field of study, namely clinical terminologies. The article concludes with a call for increased professionalisation of Nursing Informatics.