The History of Nursing

In earlier centuries, nursing care was usually provided by men and women of various religious orders, who had little or no training. Modern nursing began in the mid-19th century due to the Nightingale training schools for nurses. In the United States, the Spanish-American War (1898) and World War I (1914-1918) established the need for more nurses. Nursing schools increased their enrollments, and several new programs were developed. After 1920 several university schools of nursing were opened. World War II (1939-1945) brought about another increased demand for nurses. Technological advances in medicine and health have required nurses to become knowledgeable about sophisticated equipment and a number of medications. The duties of a floor nurse in 1887 is very different than the duties of a floor nurse in this day and age. In addition to caring for your 50 patients, each nurse would follow these specific
regulations:

1. Daily sweep & mop the floors of your ward, dust the patient’s...