A History of Nursing
Nursing as we know it today developed initially in military units during war, and from work done by organized religious groups. In the past, many hospitals were supported by religious institutions. Some of the earliest nurses were called "sisters" because they were nuns. In Britain, senior nurses in hospitals are still called sisters. There are hospitals run by religious organizations all over the world.
Nurses have always been needed during war. During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale tried to better the conditions under which soldiers received medical care. This is considered the birth of modern nursing. Nightingale laid out her principles in a book called "Notes on Nursing" in 1859.
The first American nursing school was called the New England Hospital for Women and Children. Dr. Susan Dimrock ran the hospital and enrolled the first five nurses to train in the United States. The first graduate, Linda Richards, went to work at Bellevue Hospital in 1873, becoming a supervisor on the night shift. Most learning at that time was on the job. Richards spent time in England to acquire more nursing skills. She also passed her knowledge on to other nurses.
During times of war, many medical advances are made under the pressure of trying to heal the seriously injured soldiers. During the American Civil War, there were male nurses, but at the beginning of the 20th century the doors of the profession closed to men for many years.
Over time, nursing was regulated in most countries. It is a profession that is governed by law. There are many ways to earn a degree or diploma and become a professional nurse. Once a nurse is licensed, he or she is subject to regulation based on credentials and location. There are licensed practical nurses in this country, as well as registered nurses and advanced degree nurses.
As nursing developed, nurses were considered to be working for doctors, or following the directions of doctors. This problematic distinction is still true in many places and much of the time. However, nurses in the 21st century have increased their education, broadened their field of activities, and learned to do patient care directly themselves. They hold important supervisorial, educational, and policymaking jobs.
Nurses take a more holistic view of patient care, in general, than most doctors do. They also emphasize the education of patients, and achieving wellness, not just treating disease. Every professional body of nurses has its own definition of nursing, all slightly different. The threads that run through every definition of a nurse include the ideas of improving, maintaining, or recovering health, for individuals and groups of people.
Today both men and women can train to be nurses. They can become licensed vocational nurses in two to three years. LPNs are the most hands-on nurses, and they frequently work in extended care facilities. They do work in hospitals, but there is a trend to leave hospital nursing to registered nurses.
Most nurses in the United States today are registered nurses. They either received an AD in nursing, a BSN, or a diploma in nursing, and after passing the NCLEX-RN exam, they are eligible to work as registered nurses. Registered nurses can and do work in every area of a hospital and in any medical area.
Registered nurses can continue their education to become advanced practice nurses, by getting master's degrees. They can become nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, or clinical nurse specialists. Advanced practice nurses can deliver patient care directly, including prescribing medicine, without a physician. Nurses with master's and also with doctorates tend to take supervisorial or administrative positions in hospitals, where they can have an impact on the way medical care is delivered. Nurses are strong patient advocates.
There is more demand than ever for nurses, a situation expected to continue far into the future.
Published: 2009-10-14
