How has nursing practice evolved over time
Re: Topic 3 DQ 1
Throughout history, it has been necessary to care for the injured and sick. Prior to Christianity, nursing care was provided by men in ancient cultures, and nursing was regarded as a strictly religious vocation (Whitney, 2018). Medication men were primarily in charge of providing healthcare to the sick and injured. Because science and research were not yet known, information on sickness and disease therapy was provided on an experimental basis. Evidence-based practice was not yet recognized at this time. At the time, evil spirits were blamed for illness and death.
Over several decades, nursing practice has advanced enormously in terms of how we dress, practice, and, most importantly, formal education. The advancement of innovation has greatly advanced how we analyze and treat patients. Nurses today use critical thinking and evidence-based practice from proven logical investigations to ensure better patient outcomes.
Without a doubt, nurses play an important role in the healthcare industry. Nonetheless, all of the continuous advancement in nursing began with some critical historical pioneers who had a significant impact on the advancement of nursing, nursing education, and the prestige associated with nursing as a profession. Pioneers such as Florence Nightingale, who established the Nightingale School of Nursing in London, England, in 1860. During the Crimean War (1854-1856), she worked as a nurse and discovered that filthy everyday environments and crowded areas were harmful to healing. She would make significant improvements to medical services by directing examination and carrying out medical services setting changes that are still being completed and alluded to in current nursing practice. Today, the Nightingales infection control model is critical in nursing practice, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, pioneer Mildred Montag changed the nursing model in 1952 with the development of the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) This was due to a nursing shortage, and it was intended to provide a way for nurses to earn school credit for their preparation. Montag envisioned ADN nurses working under the supervision of baccalaureate-prepared nurses (Montag, 1959).”
References
Grand Canyon University (Ed). (2018). Dynamics in nursing: Art & science of professional practice. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs430v/dynamics-in-nursing-art-and-scienceof-professional-practice/v1.1
Pioneers in Nursing. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2021, from https://www.truthaboutnursing.org/press/pioneers.html
Whitney (2018). Dynamics in nursing: Art & science of professional practice. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs430v/dynamics-in-nursing-artand-science-of-professional-practice/v1.1/Chapter 2
Re: Topic 3 DQ 1
Nurses were not considered a profession in the beginning. Nurses were simply a group of women who cared for the sick by employing medical skills learned from their mothers or others in the field (Ranard. 2015). The Crimean War marked a watershed moment in nursing practice. Florence Nightingale was a British woman who established a nursing school after serving British soldiers and returning to England. Recognizing the importance of nursing education, Valentine Seaman, a New York physician, established a nursing course to educate people interested in nursing. During the Civil War, many sick and injured patients were cared for by well-trained nurses. The year 1873 was a watershed moment in the history of American professional nursing. In that year, three nurse educational programs began to operate, all of which were based on ideas advanced by Florence Nightingale and are widely regarded as the forerunners of organized, professional nurse education in the United States (Whelan, nd.). The nursing profession has changed dramatically in recent years, but the educational standard is rising. To meet the requirements of nursing practice, colleges and universities offer associate and baccalaureate degrees in nursing. Before beginning practice, a registered nurse must pass the NCLEX. Continuous education and lifelong learning provide nurses with the opportunity to update their knowledge in order to keep up with the changing of new technology and meet the needs of their patients.
Reference:
Ranard, C. (2015, Nov). How nursing has changed over time. Minority Nurse.https://minoritynurse.com/how-nursing-has-changed-over-time/
Whelan, J.(nd). American nursing: an introduction to the past. University Pennsylvania school of Nursing. https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/nhhc/american-nursing-an-introduction-to-the-past/
Nursing has evolved and changed over the years. It began as primarily religious work for men. With the passage of time, it evolved into a highly advanced and sophisticated profession practiced by highly educated individuals. The making of wars was one of the activities that allowed nursing and the nursing profession to evolve and advance. Florence Nightingale would not have been the pioneer of modern-day nursing if the Crimean War had not occurred in 1854. As a nurse during the war, she became fascinated and profoundly influenced by the flaws in the military hospital systems that contributed to so many avoidable deaths (McDonald, 2020). As a result, she increased her efforts in sanitary reform and laying the groundwork for the advancement of nursing training and education. She wrote numerous books, including the first book on nursing education, and she founded the first nursing school (Karimi & Masoudi, 2015). Other influential leaders in nursing include Elizabeth Grace Campbell Neill and Mary Eliza Mahoney. Elizabeth Grace was the driving force behind the world’s first nurse registration act. Mary made a contribution to nursing by founding an organization for African American nurses at a time when they faced discrimination. She named the organization the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, which later merged with the American Nurses Association. Having said that, nursing roles have evolved as well. Professional nurses are no longer limited to working only in acute care settings. They can work as educators, researchers, and home health nurses, among other things. As time passes, these roles will continue to evolve, and new opportunities will emerge.
Karimi, H., & Masoudi Alavi, N. (2015). Florence Nightingale: The Mother of Nursing. Nursing and midwifery studies, 4(2).
McDonald, L. (2020). Florence Nightingale: The making of a hospital reformer. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 13(2), 25–31.
