Nursing History
The nursing profession has undergone a fairly long evolution over several centuries. Traditionally, it makes sense to associate the development of this profession with the steps forward taken by the nascent institute of Western professional medicine. In the context of its origin, the profession of a nurse included providing services to male doctors or scientists. In many ways, the profession was similar to that of a housewife or a scientific laboratory assistant, and the main requirement was the unquestioning fulfillment of the superior doctor’s requirements. However, this profession has undergone several essential transformations through a series of precedents.
The opening of this professional program for men in 1888 was a significant event, emphasizing the non-gender nature of this profession and its importance. In the 1890s, nursing began to take a more recognizable and modern form (Wyatt, 2019). Florence Nightingale made a significant breakthrough in establishing this profession as a true vocation, with its associated requirements and qualifications. She is considered the godmother of the profession as she was the first to open a nursing school in England.
During the first two decades of the 20th century, a comprehensive scientific foundation for nursing education was emerging in America (Wyatt, 2019). The first standards were adopted by North Carolina in 1903; subsequently, the licensed exam for a nurse is accepted in all other states (Bellman et al., 2018). In the post-war era, educational programs for nurses were entirely undergraduate, confirming the establishment of this activity as a full-fledged profession.
Nursing Potential
Nursing is currently considered the most ethical profession, as evidenced by the 2010 report, “The Future of Nursing,” which proves that the future of this profession is far-reaching (Bellman et al., 2018). Adapting to the latest pandemic period demonstrates the profession’s ability to take on new challenges. Nursing practice is not only evolving, but also becoming more humane and technologically advanced.
The report was based on anti-crisis measures designed to make health care available to various social groups, including the most vulnerable. To make this increased patient coverage possible, it has been proposed that nurses should have significantly broader powers, including full medical and analytical interventions. Thus, nursing qualifications are becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, requiring more intensive and multifaceted professional education.
Nursing Trends
One of the main trends in nursing, which originated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, has evolved in opposition to the initial ideas about the profession of nursing. The masculine stereotypes of the time that a nurse should only obey and not have her own opinion are being refuted now and will continue to be refuted in the future. Self-judgment and professional expertise are currently the main components of the profession.
Evidence-based analysis and practice is also a scientific trend that constitutes the daily operating model for nurses and educators. The last trend should encompass holistic ideas about human health, which form the principles of patient care. According to holistic ideas, human health is directly related to their sense of self, balance, and harmony with the outside world. Complete care will thus represent not a mechanical, rudimentary task, but a subtle activity full of psychology and genuine concern for the patient.
References
Bellman, L. B., Boase, S., Roger, S., & Stuchfield, B. (2018). Nursing through the years: Care and compassion at the Royal London Hospital. Pen & Sword History.
Wyatt, L. (2019). A history of nursing. Amberley.