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History of Nursing Occupations
Who were the first ‘nurses’?
Throughout
The Middle Ages, Care Provided Primarily By Religious Orders To Sick And Poor
Some
Of The Earliest Nurses Were Nuns.
Sisters
Of Mercy Order Originated In 1830s By Roman Catholic Church In Dublin (Still Exists Today)
No
Specific Training Required
Wealthy
Received Care At Home By Doctors And Family
Besides nuns, other early nurses included:
Women
Of Ill Repute
Poor,
Single Women With No Family Or Hope Of Marriage
Prisoners,
Servants And Slaves
Nursing prior to the late 1800s:
Required
No Specialized Training
Paid
Badly, If At All
Was
Considered Unrespectable
Carried
Out Under Deplorable Conditions
Was
Not Regarded As A Profession
Often
Did Little To Help Patients Recover
Nursing as a profession
Emerged
In Late 19th Century
Credit
Is Given To Florence
Nightingale
Who Was Florence
Nightingale?
Born
In 1820 And Died In 1910
Born
In Italy
To Wealthy English Parents
Frustrated
By Lack Of Options For Women Of Her Social Background
Defied
Parents And Society And Traveled To Germany
And Throughout Europe To Train As A Nurse
Her
Big Opportunity Came When The Crimean War
Broke Out In 1854
During Crimean War:
Secretary
Of War Asked Her To Go Take Charge Of The Hospital At Scutari In Turkey.
Showed
Up With 38 Trained Nurses
Faced
A Death Rate Of 40%
Was
Met By Patients. Lying On Boards Among Piles Of Filth, Pts. Received Only One
Meal A Day, No Supplies, No Sanitation,
And Hostility From Army Doctors
Her Accomplishments There In Two Years Included:
Death
Rate Decreased To 2%
Cleanliness
And Sanitation Rules
Pts.
Received Special Diets And Plenty Of Food
Improved
Water Supply
Pts.
Received Proper Nursing Care
Established
A Reputation Which Allowed Her To Improve Nursing Standards At Home
Florence
Nightingale:
Established
Nursing School
At St. Thomas’ Hospital, London
Upon Return
By
1887, Had Her Nurses Working In Six Countries And U.S.
Developed
Basic Philosophy Regarding The Profession Of Nursing Different From Other
Existing Programs
Was
A Nurse, Philosopher, Statistician, Historian, Politician And More
Today
Considered The Founder Of Modern Nursing
Nightingales Basic Tenets Were:
1.
The
Content Of Nursing Education Must Be Defined By Nurses.
2.
Nurse Educators Are Responsible For The
Nursing Care Provided By Students And Graduates Of The Nursing Program.
3.
Educators
Should Be Trained Nurses Themselves.
4.
Nursing Schools Should Be Separate Entities, Not
Connected With Physicians Or Hospitals.
5.
Nurses
Should Be Prepared With Advanced Education And Should Engage In Continuing
Education Throughout Their Careers.
6.
Nursing Involves Both
Sick Nursing And Health Nursing And Includes The Environment As Well As The
Patient (Holism).
7.
Nursing
Must Include Theory.
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