Essay on Evolution of Nursing Profession
Added on 2020-04-29
6 Pages1216 Words34 Views
Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENTIdentifying social factors that shaped the evolution of nursingName of the StudentName of the UniversityAuthor Note
1NURSING ASSIGNMENTNursing evolved in the form of an intuitive response. It aimed to keep people healthy andprovide assurance and comfort to the sick. Initially simple ways were adopted to take care of thesick. The skills in implementing these remedies were improved, followed by efficient transfer ofnursing knowledge across generations. Nursing profession began as an art in homes where afamily member or kin cared for the sick. However, presently it has developed in the form of ahighly skilled service that meets the health needs of the society and the community. This essaywill illustrate the different social factors that played a role in the evolution of this profession.In ancient culture, men cared for the sick and passed the information across generationsverbally. Sickness was attributed to evil spirits. The Greeks laid emphasis on personal health andbelieved that environmental factors played an essential role in governing health. The firsthospitals were established in the Roman Empire. These hospitals were charitable institutions thatoffered palliative care (Riva & Cesana, 2013). Women performed the task of wet-nurses ormidwives in such healthcare centres that were predominantly regulated by men. However, the trends of the sick and poor, receiving care in almshouses or hospitals weredeveloped during the Renaissance period. This was because the period saw a huge interest insciences and arts. Women were encouraged to abide by the social customs and stay home toenact the role of caregivers. The Elizabethan Poor Law was also established that intended tocreate a place where the sick, orphaned and the poor would be cared for. Private duty nursesbegan to care for the sick that were affluent. They were privately reimbursed and took part indoing other household tasks such as cooking and cleaning. The industrial revolution, which began in the late 18th century led to the development ofseveral factories and migration of people to urban areas. Poor working conditions and
2NURSING ASSIGNMENTovercrowding led to several health ailments (Masters, 2015). These changes acknowledged therole of nurses and nursing schools were established. However, most nursing care was performedby the female relatives of the sick. Modern nursing was influenced greatly by its founder, Florence Nightingale. Herinvolvement with the Establishment for Gentle Women During Illness and the Crimean warenhanced her nursing abilities. Her efforts in reforming healthcare, reducing morbidity andmortality rates during war to offer holistic care to the patients changed people’s perceptions onnursing. Her work motivated several women volunteers to take up nursing and made it arespectable profession (McDonald, 2014). This provided the idea that formal education of nursesand their role in advocating patient rights were essential features of nursing practice.Replacement of nursing diploma programs by baccalaureate degrees played were a significantstep in development of the profession. The licensure of nurses was first advocated in 1901, at the International Council forNurses conference and was first implemented by North Carolina. This led to licensing of allnurses by an examination such that they are able to practice nursing in the state they had takenthe examination (Judd & Sitzman, 2013). The Great Depression was another social force. It wasa devastating crash of stock market that led to 30% unemployment, thereby affecting thewellbeing of the nation. People did not have enough money for food or healthcare facilities.Until the event, nurses mainly worked in private care homes and attended patients could affordsuch services (Egenes, 2017). After the crash, several nurses became unemployed. Trainednurses began to be appointed by hospitals to care for the patients in return of little money.Moreover, during the World War, the number of women who applied in the Army Nurse Copsgradually increased. The number of female nurses who served in the military, domestically and
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