Evolution / History Of Nursing - 848 Words

Evolution/History of Nursing --- Dorothea Dix Approximately one in five adults experience mental illness in a given year in the United States (Mental Health By the Numbers, n.d.). Adequate mental health care is extremely important to the general well being of the world’s population, and therefore should be focused on in nursing. Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) was crucial in increasing the quality of care given to the mentally ill in jails and asylums. She saw that poor people with mental illnesses were suffering due to lack of quality healthcare and she dedicated her career to advocating for those people and their right to proper healthcare. Her impact as well as the impact of others working towards proper healthcare for those with mental health problems in today’s society is that, while we absolutely have a long way to go, mental illness is less stigmatized than it ever has been before: basic insurance covers mental health care and mental illness is something regularly talked about in our society --- when Dix was work ing to transform mental health care it was believed that most people with mental health problems were incurable. Dorothea Dix was born April 4th, 1802 in Hampden, Massachusetts and was a teacher for twenty-four years before she became a nurse at the age of thirty-nine. After receiving a large inheritance from the death of her grandmother, she volunteered to teach a Sunday school class in the East Cambridge House of Correction in Massachusetts. During this time,Show MoreRelatedNursing Practice History And Evolution976 Words   |  4 PagesNursing Practice History and Evolution â€Å"The story of knowledge of multiple sclerosis is like a history of medicine in miniature† (Putnam, 1938, p. 806). My story began eighteen years ago, sitting in a University of Iowa neurologist’s exam room, awaiting the results of a magnetic resonance image of my brain. I was a twenty-six year old Caucasian female from rural Iowa and a recent nursing college graduate. However, I heard the neurologist’s explanation why his assessment revealed a multiple sclerosisRead MoreA Rough Past : The History Of Nursing Homes Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesA Rough Past: The History of Nursing Homes One thing every living organism has in common on this planet-- age. No one wants to age or face the fact that aging is inevitable. However, since it’s impossible to beat the never ending time clock that is life; everyone wants to be as comfortable as possible when age finally does catch up with them. When the majority of people think of comfortability in old age, they think of living in their own homes and being surrounded by their loved ones. Not manyRead MoreThe Evolution Of The Field Of Nursing Essay1306 Words   |  6 Pagesnone as much as the nursing field. There is no question or doubt that in the next years to come that there will be additional changes and development in the field of nursing. Nursing has now evolved to become an â€Å"art and a science.† The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact on the evolution of nursing, changes over the years and the implication on today’s nursing profession. To understand nursing and where it began, it is important to mention a key pioneer in nursing by the name of FlorenceRead MoreNursing Timeline1137 Words   |  5 PagesHistorical Development of Nursing Timeline Historical Development of Nursing Timeline The 19th century marked the beginning of professional nursing. Florence Nightingale was the legend behind it as she began the struggle of nurses being recognized as professionals. It is hard to believe that nurses were once assigned to the job as a sentence for crimes committed or for the women who were too old or sick to hold conventional jobs. Nightingale’s focus included infection control, documentationRead MoreThe History of Nursing Essay817 Words   |  4 PagesThe History of Nursing Many people believe that Nursing started with Florence Nightingale, however nursing itself dates back to the beginnings of motherhood when nurses were traditionally female. In fact, nursing and medicine have been closely intertwined throughout the ages. The history of nursing has its origins in the care of infants and children, so all mothers were in fact nurses. Gradually an evolution started developing into dedicated caregivers who practiced the art. In fact, nursing hasRead MoreThe Evolution of Nursing1464 Words   |  6 PagesTHE EVOLUTION OF NURSING Nursing is a profession that can be recalled and accounted for since prehistoric times to now it has since come a long way. In fact in earlier times nursing was only a practice reserved for men. The first nursing school was established in India in about 250 B.C., and only men were permitted to attend because men were viewed to be more pure than women, until the 1800’s when nursing became an organized practice. Should one embark on a research about the history of nursing oneRead MoreThe Importance of Theory1612 Words   |  7 Pagesfound in general nursing units. The intent of this paper is to give a brief history of the evolution of nursing and how the practice of nursing has evolved into a theory based profession. The next section, Benner’s theory, Novice to Expert, will contain an analysis of the key concepts of the theory and how this theory relates to the nursing metaparadigm. The third section will illustrate how Benner’s theory is applied in clinical pract ice and outline the roles of nurses, nursing leadership and nurseRead MoreThe History of Public Health and the Role of the Community/Public Health Nurse1136 Words   |  5 PagesPUBLIC HEALTH AND ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE 2 The History of Public Health and the Role of the Community/Public Health Nurse When considering the evolution of healthcare and the role of the nurse in the United States, many people might first consider this in the context of the hospital setting. While the history of acute care is an important area to consider, it is imperative that equal attention be given to the history of public health and the role played by the nurse in this segmentRead MoreThe Importance Of Historical Aspects Of Death And Dying1433 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Historical Aspects of Death and Dying for Nurses The field of nursing has always been one with constant evolution. From the early days on the battlefields, farms and homes to current events that occur in the hospital, nursing has always had challenges to face. Death and dying, in particular, has evolved from private settings to publicly passing away in a hospital or nursing home. This paper will focus on defining and discussing the historical aspects of death and dying, presentingRead MoreThe Oldest Known Professions1642 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction and History One of the oldest known professions in the history of human society is nursing. Although it may not have recognized as an actual occupation until around the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, women were caring for the sick and being compensated for their work and expertise. Pioneers such as Linda Richards, the first professionally trained nurse in America, and Florence Nightingale (influenced nursing in the US as well as trained