S.G.R.

D COLLEGE OF NURSING,PANDHER,AMRITSAR

A PRESENTATION ON
HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENT OF
NURSING
PROFESION
(ADVANCE NURSING PRACTICE)
SUBMITTED BY: Charanjit kaur
M.Sc.Nursing ( 1st year )
Medical surgical nursing

SUBMITTED TO: Ms. Arpandeep kaur

Assistant Professor
S.G.R.D College of Nursing,
PANDHER,AMRITSAR
 1

OBJECTIVES:

 To discuss the historical development of nursing from ancient

times to the present.
 To analyze the contribution of selected nurses and the nursing
profession to society from a historical perspective.

INTRODCTION:
Nursing has existed through out the history of human
mankind. Just as human history has shown tremendous
progress over the centuries, so has nursing evolved
from the art of comforting, caring for and nurturing
the sick to a synthesis of this art with the science and
technology of contemporary thinking.

THE NEED TO STUDY HISTORY OF NURSING PROFESSION

 To appreciate the development of the discipline and profession.

 To honor the leaders and carry forward best of values and
traditions.
 It contributes to professional identity.
 To convey to the new nurses a knowledge and value of the past.
 It helps to make use of the past experiences and lessons learned
to create the future.
 It helps to take decisions on the basis of mistakes and success
of the past.
 2

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:

mother
caring
infant

slave woman,
midwives & wet nurse

DARK AGE OF NURSING conflict

between health &
religious beliefs

REBIRTH IN NURSING
crimean war, industrial revolution,
military nursing, nursing institutions,
advancement in nursing
 3

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE NURSING PROFESSION

NURSING IN PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES:

During this period individuals provided care or cure based on
experience or verbal transmission of available knowledge about
health and illness. In this period the term ‘nurse’ was derived
from or was used for the mother who gave care to the helpless
infant.

NURSING IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION:

 Midwives were known to provide care for the mother and
infant during birth and also they were known as wet nurses.
These were the women who worked as slaves in rich families
and thus looked after the infants who were born to wealthy
 In the Babylonian civilization [2000BC] there were no
specific written records about the existence of nursing but
the medical illustrations depicted figures providing care to
the sick and dying.
 The ancient Hebrew culture contributed to the Mosaic
Health Code. Nurses are occasionally mentioned in the bible
as women who provided care for the sick dying and as
midwives who assisted during pregnancy and at delivery.
 In ancient India the early hospitals were staffed by male
nurse who were required to have qualifications. The Indian
women however were continuing to serve as midwives and
nursed the ill family members.
 From the ancient Greece and roman civilizations [900-
200bc] religion started to influence certain aspects of
health. The Greek mythic god ASKELAPIOUS was the chief
healer; his wife Epigone was the soother while Hygeia their
 4

daughter was considered to be the embodiment of nurse.

She was the goddess of health.
 In Judeo-Christian era women provided nursing services at
home as a part of their ethical and humanitarian
responsibiltities.They had no formal training or education
other than the skills of a nurse.

NURSING DURING THE MIDDLE AGES [500-1500AD]

During this period nursing began to be recognized as an

organized service. Most nurse were a part of the religious
orders. And who got training from their practical
experiences in caring for sick, which was the expression of
Christian love. Phoebe of Centre dedicated her life to
nursing and was the first visiting nurse. She founded an
order of Christian women that was dedicated to serve the
sick and dying. In this period many religious military and
secular orders were formed with the purpose of caring for
the sick.
In the Islamic world Muslim women prepared food
established tent hospitals and attended the sick and
wounded during the time of Prophet Mohammed. Rufiyaa
daughter of a prominent healer in Arabia was the first
nurse in Islam who also started the nursing school and
taught women and girls the art of nursing the sick and
wounded. She set down the first code of nursing rules and
ethics in the world of Islam.

DARK AGE OF NURSING [1600-1752 AD]

During this period the church beliefs were in conflict with

the scientific thought and education. Religious orders were
thus disbanded and dissolution of religious monasteries took
 5

place. Women were expected to devote their time and

energy to their own families at home .The nursing
profession in this period was formed by women who were
social outcastes for eg; prostitutes, off jail sentence
workers. They were known to provide nursing care without a
proper training or preparation.
Thus the nursing profession saw a major set back and
almost declined in terms of its acceptance as a noble
profession, providing quality care to the sick and dying,
economic support from the authorities to run institutions
hospitals etc;.

DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN NURSING

In the 18th and 19th century there was the industrial

revolution along with the scientific advancements which
indirectly led to the rebirth of nursing as a profession.
Revolution displaced workers from cottage craftspeople to
factory laborers. More and more people were now victims of
increased health stressors, new illness owing to unhealthy
working conditions. When the morbidity and mortality rate
started to increase there was the realization among the
common people to restart the nursing care which was
deprived to them. It took about 200 years for the common
public to attempt and recognizes the need of qualitative and
quantitative nursing care.
During this period the establishment of Deaconeness
Institute at Kaiserworth, Germany took place and spread to
the four continents.
Also during the Crimean war[] it was seen that the wounded
soldiers were falling prey to various illness owing to
infection of wounds, inadequate nutrition, lack of drugs and
adequate care. It was here that the nursing profession was
 6

recognized to be the utmost need of the hour and Florence

Nightingale with the help of her other colleagues formed a
contingent of female nurses to provide care to the sick and
dying soldiers by setting up diet kitchens, recreation
centers and training the orderlies. She also set up the
Nightingale Training School for nurse’s inn 1860 that gave
birth to new dedicated nurses.
 7

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The history of nursing profession is connected with the
history of caring. With the development of nursing as a
profession there was also the development of organizations
for the welfare and existence of nurses in the developing
world, Eg; American Nurses Association, National League
for Nurses etc.
Thus it can be said that nursing has existed throughout the
history of human development.
 8

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Blois Hayes Keizer Erb;PROFESSIONAL NURSING
PRACTICE CONCEPTS AND PERSPECTIVES; fifth
edition;pg 32-45
 The Trained Nurses Association of India;
FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING,A PROCEDURE
MANUAL; first edition,pg 3-6
 De LauneLadner;FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING
STANDARDS AND PRACTICE;Pg 4-7