Since 1854, nursing has been recognized as a profession. It could be said that nursing is as old as mankind since people have always needed nursing care when ill or wounded. The word nurse is derived from the Anglo-French nurice and the Latin nutrica, both of which mean nourish(nursingtheory.org). This is exactly what nurses have always done. Nursing has a very extensive history. With many misconceptions of what the field is, as well as how it started. In 1854 Florence Nightingale started the first formal training for nursing (nursingtheory.org) The common belief is that nursing has always been a feminine occupation with males entering the field in recent years, but this is not the case(nursingtheory.org). During the Middle Ages, …show more content…
In 1851 Florence went against her parents wishes, refused a prospective marriage and began training as a nurse in Kaiserswerth, Germany (uab.edu). In 1853 florence took a position as superintendent for London’s Establishment of Gentlewomen during Illness (uab.edu). Florence Nightingale is probably most famous for her work during the Crimean War, Under Florence’s leadership, the nurses brought cleanliness, sanitation, nutritious food and comfort to the patients (uab.edu). This meaning that during the war the nurses would bring food to the soldiers. They would also apply dressings to wounds, as well as attend to other injuries. Nightingale was known for providing the kind of personal care, like writing letters home for soldiers, that comforted them and improved their psychological health. Her group of nurses transformed the hospital into a healthy environment within six months, and as a result, the death rate of patients fell from 40 to 2 percent (uab.edu). Not only did nightingale provide healthcare, she used other means as well to aid in the healing process. Such as psychological healing by writing letters. By providing mental and psychological treatment to patients, the soldiers were able to heal faster. Florence Nightingale also brought about other reforms to the healthcare field. Such as sanitation and lighting. According to Florence Nightingale, hygiene, sanitation, fresh air, proper lighting, a good diet, warmth, quietness and attentiveness were necessary conditions for hospitals and were to be ensured by trained nurses (uab.edu). Florence Nightingale is responsible for elevating the profession of nursing to an honorable status(uab.edu). Thus providing, nursing was able to grow into the lucrative profession that it is today due to her