The History of Nursing Reform

Nursing has religious and military roots. It operated on the periphery of these occupations before becoming a mainstream vocation itself. During the Crimean War, a significant development in nursing took place. Famous English nurse Florence Nightingale sought to improve conditions of soldiers after hearing of the horrors of war. Later, she set up the first secular nursing school in the world, at St Thomas' Hospital in London. She also laid out the principles of professional nursing in the book "Notes on Nursing."

Origins

• Florence Nightingale described the "'new conception of nursing as an economically independent secular vocation or art demanding intelligence, knowledge and skill,' not madonna-like devotion." This revolutionized the way nurses were supposed to be perceived.

Famous Nurses

• Other important names in the history of nursing include Mary Seacole, who used her own funds to work as a nurse in the Crimea after being passed over by Florence Nightingale. Other famous nurses include Clara Barton, who started the Red Cross, and Dorothea Dix, who was a social reformer for the treatment of the mentally ill in America.

Nursing Today

• Different definitions of nursing exist in different countries, but according to American Nurse website, "all involve extensive study of nursing theory and practice and training in clinical skills." It adds that in almost all countries, nursing practice is "defined and regulated by law, and entry into the profession is regulated by national, state or territorial boards of nursing." It is considered an art as well as a science.