Historical Perspectives: Influences of the Past Chapter 6 Historical Perspectives: Influences of the Past

Image of Nursing in the Past

History repeats itself because each generation refuses to read the minutes of the last meeting. - Anonymous

Historical Perspectives: Influences of the Past Objectives: Explain the early European contributions to nursing Explain the forces that affected the roles of American nurses Discuss what nurses do in their profession

Nursing History: People and Places Where did it all begin? Nurse derived from Latin word nutricius, meaning nourishing Nursing performed by priestesses Why deacons, widows, and virgins? Deaconesses ministered the sick Widows only married once Greater value placed on purity of body—the virgin Became known as nuns (not married)

Nursing History: People and Places Florence Nightingale—the legend and the lady Crimean War Schools of nursing What did Nightingale and her staff of nurses do that decreased soldier mortality rates during the Crimean War?

American Nursing: Critical Factors What was it like in colonial times? All able-bodied persons had nursing responsibilities Women were preferred to do the nursing What happened during the period of the Civil War? Formal nursing training

History of Nursing Education What is the history of diploma nursing? Oldest form Emphasis on skills Less than 10% of all RN programs

History of Nursing Education What is the history of associate degree nursing? First and only program developed from research and experimentation Began in 1951, grown to more than 880 programs Dr. Montag’s proposal for a technical nursing curriculum at the community college level The “technical nurse” working at the bedside Terminal degree

History of Nursing Education What is the history of baccalaureate nursing? 1889 Mercy Hospital in Chicago affiliated with Northwestern University Early programs usually 5 years in length

History of Nursing Education What is the history of graduate nursing education? Originated during late 1800s NLN published guidelines for organization, administration, curriculum, and testing in 1957 Current master’s programs—398

The Nurse’s Role: The Struggle for Definitions What do nurses do? Caregiver Teacher Advocate Managers Colleague Expert What is the traditional role of a nurse?

The Nurse’s Role: The Struggle for Definitions Did you know you would be a teacher? Who will advocate? Why are nurses managers? Can nurses be colleagues? Where does this leave the role of colleague?

All are recognized as leaders within the profession. What About Experts? Academicians Historians Nursing educators Clinicians Researchers Theorists Nurse technologists Research consumers Professional educators All are recognized as leaders within the profession.

The Beginning Nurses are caregivers Nurses are teachers Nurses are managers Nurses are colleagues Nurses are experts May you become proficient in these roles and develop into an expert and then provide the leadership for nursing in the future . . .

The future is not the result of choices among alternative paths offered; It is a place that is created, Created first in the mind and will, Created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, But one we are creating. The paths to it are not found, but made. And the activity of making them Changes both the maker and the destiny. —Anonymous (1987)