Nursing is one of the most respectable careers which historians have documented that it began with the 1st nurse Phoebe a Christian who visited the homes of the sick and cared for them. Phoebe was called “the first visiting nurse.” Christians were followed the teaching of Jesus Christ and many of the nuns and priests took care of the sick. Nursing became more prominent with Florence Nightingale who was the daughter of wealthy parents. Florence was expected to marry a rich man and be devoted to her family. Instead Florence decided to take care of the sick soldiers who fought in the Crimean War. Florence impact on nursing did not end with her service. During the Crimean War, Florence realized that many of the soldiers were dying because of unsanitary conditions. While taking care of the soldiers Nightingale realized the importance of using aseptic technique in preventing the soldiers from getting ill or passing on disease to other patients so she and injured soldier clean and the equipment used clean to prevent infection. The lady with the lamp Florence Nightingale. Florence realize that to prevent further infections the areas that the patients were housed had to be clean as well as the importance of keeping equipment clean.
Florence Nightingale’s impact continued further when she saw the need to educate nurses, so she formed the first nursing school. Florence also was instrumental in forming the first research and use of the graph that she invented to document the results of her research.
In America during the Revolutionary war nurses also played a large role taking care of the sick and the wounded even though they did not have the proper training like doctors. George Washington recognized the need to better the care given to the solders and therefore in July 1775, Congress approved medical support for the Army. The plan entailed that one nurse for 10 patients and that a matron for every hundred sick or wounded and there were funds for the ward to be provided with beds, utensils.
In the 1860 Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to graduate medical school in the United States created a course to train women serving as nurses for the Union Army.
There were many other women in the United States that have contributed to transforming the profession of nursing to a respectable career. Dorothea Dix and Clara Barton worked to stable standardized and professional care effort with the Union soldier. Louisa May Alcott travel to volunteer to take care of soldiers who were wounded and/or dying.
Jane Addams pioneered advance training for women in nursing and Lillian Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement House in 1892. She was also instrumental in starting public health care nursing in New York. These nurses worked in largely in the poorest neighborhood.
As far as diversity in was not present for some time because of racism and segregation which was more present in the South and prevent African American women from becoming professional nurses. However, Dr. Zakrzwska’ school broke the racial barrier by allowing Mary Eliza Mahoney to become the first African American professional nurse in the United states.
In addition, in 1886, Spellman Seminary in Atlanta George opened and enrolled its first nursing program for African American Women. This program allowed many African Amen women to enter the field of nursing.
Nurses also played an important role in forming organizations and institutions that helped many poor, destitute, and sick American. Institutions as the American Red cross founded by Clarissa Harlow Barton in 1821. Dorothea Dix who advocate for the mentally ill and through support from Congress help to create the first American mental asylums.
Nurses have made many significant contributions to the care of patients and the establishment as nursing as a profession career. Because of education and research nurses are now able to use evidence based and culturally competent care to treat their patients.
Today professional nurses can work in a multitude of clinical areas. Some of these areas are in Education, Research, Forensic, Pediatric, Mental health, in the military and obstetrics. Furthermore, with advance degrees nurses are continuing to collaborate at a higher level with Medical Doctors and can write scripts to medications and other treatments.
There are many nursing organizations that play important roles in continuing to educate and advocate for nurses.
Two of these organizations are National League of Nurses sometimes referred to as the NLN and NBNA.
The National League of Nurses’ goal is to “lead in setting standard that advance excellence and innovation in nursing programs. The national leagues of nurse have a program that recognizes schools of nursing and health organizations that have demonstrated a level of excellence in care and education. The NLN is also involved in advocating to create polices in area that affect the nursing profession.
The NLN also bestows accreditation for nursing schools and universities that exemplifies “excellence, integrity in nursing education. To receive the NLN accreditation the program must follow their Core values which are “caring, diversity, integrity and excellence.”
To join the NLN the cost is based are the following Individual $155.00 for one year and for two years the cost is 285.00. Graduate student $80 and Retired individuals $100.00 for one year and $180 for two years.
The next nursing organization is the National Black Nurse’s Association. The goal of this organization according to their website is “to serve the voice for Black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities and improving health.” This organization was founded by Dr. Lauranne Sams in 1971. Dr. Sams was a former Dean and Professor at Tuskegee University School of Nursing. This organization is a non-profit organization incorporated in Ohio in 1972.
There are over 150,00 African American registered nurses, licensed vocational practice nurses. The Members of this organization are made up of people from the Caribbean, Africa and has 92 chapters in 35 states. This organization also advocates for cultural competency in treatment for minorities. This organization partners with other community-based organization and some corporations and to reach out to communities by sponsoring health fairs. These programs educate that community as well deal with political issues as education, poverty that most affect their membership. They also offer scholarships and Grants to minorities to study nursing. NBNA is also involve in working with other organizations to find solution to the current nursing shortage.
This organization also supports research through their Institute of Excellence which “honors African American nurses in areas of research, clinical skills and academia.
References
Ten Hoeve, Yvonne, Jansen, Gerard & Roodbol, Petrie. (April 2013). The Nursing Profession: Public Image, Self-Concept and Professional Identity. Journal of Advanced Nursing
Cohen, Shelly (May 2007). The image of Nursing. American Nurse Today
Website
http://www.nln.org
http://www.nurse.org/orgs.
http://www.nbna.org
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