1.

What was the role of Florence Nightingale in evolving the role of gender in
relationship to nursing?

It should not come as a surprise that Nightingale was a strong advocate

for women's rights in terms of education, political participation, employment, and
the professions given the significant disadvantages that women experienced in
Victorian society.

Contrary to popular belief, Nightingale did not oppose men entering the
nursing profession or believed they could not become competent nurses. Only
women were admitted to her training program, but this was a practical decision.
Women were prohibited from working in all professions at the time, including
accountancy, engineering, architecture, law, the military services, and medicine.
They were not permitted to occupy any municipal offices or sit in Parliament or
be admitted to any university.

Nightingale never thought being a woman to be a prerequisite for

nursing; training and continued experience were. She knew men who she
thought would make good nurses. A good example is the renowned Colonel
Gordon, who became known as "Gordon of Khartoum" after being murdered
there. Gordon explained to her that he attracted his guys to him by taking care of
them when they were ill or injured and by frequently visiting the hospitals.
Nightingale got in touch with men who provided untrained nursing services to
relatives and praised them for their skills in observation. She thought that their
"passion for the sick constituted him of the same profession as I." As a result,
Nightingale advocated for improving their training, working conditions, and
supervision since she thought that men would have to do nursing duties in the
army and navy.

The situation is significantly different today, with women allowed to enter

almost every profession and practically all employment available to both men and
women (McDonald, 2023).

2. Write a short narrative defining and describing your personal perspective on the
question, “What is nursing and what do nurses do?”
In the twenty-first century, nursing serves as the binding agent that
connects a patient's medical journey together. Nurses work persistently to
recognize and safeguard the requirements of the individual throughout the whole
patient experience and wherever there is someone in need of care. Beneath the
well-established reputation for compassion and dedication, there is a highly
specialized field that is continually changing to meet societal needs. Nurses are
 essential to maintaining public health because they provide the most precise
diagnoses and continuously educate the public about important health issues.
Personally, nursing would come to my perspective as both an art and a
science; a heart and a mind. Its core values include a basic respect for human
dignity and an awareness of the needs of the patient. The mind provides
assistance for this in the form of strong core education. Each nurse will have
distinct talents, passions, and expertise because of the wide variety of
specializations and complicated abilities required in the nursing profession.

3. Nursing has been defined by many entities throughout history but it is of vital
importance to clearly articulate what nursing is and what nurses do within the
context of the ever-changing nature of nursing, healthcare, and society. Why is it
so important for the nursing profession to have a clear definition?
Having engaging and motivating leaders and role models is essential in
the dynamic and hard field of nursing. One of the biggest issues the nursing
profession faces is identifying and training nurse leaders in the demanding and
constantly changing healthcare environment of today. The concept of leadership
is a complicated and multifaceted phenomenon; while being one of the most
frequently observed concepts, there isn't a single, widely acknowledged definition
or theory of leadership that can be applied to all situations. What true nursing
leadership is and how it differs from management are becoming increasingly
clear. One discussion, in particular, outlines the nature of nursing leadership and
the significance of nurse leaders in advancing the profession, clarifies definitions
and distinguishes between nurse managers and nurse leaders, describes the
development of nurse leadership by identifying theories and styles of leadership
relevant to nursing practice, and emphasizes the significance of identifying
leaders in the nursing profession (Scully, 2014).
A good definition takes extensive thought, in-depth analysis, and stress
testing. Years of expertise may be necessary to develop a clear, practical
description for more complicated situations. Precision and having a concise
definition of nursing go hand in hand. People are more likely to draw attention to
important aspects when you are more specific about something. This enables
productive conversations that are centered on results rather than individual egos
(Veerasimy, 2013).
Bibliography
McDonald, L. (2023). Florence Nightingale, gender issues, and men in nursing.
Retrieved from The Nightingale Society:
https://nightingalesociety.com/papers/nightingale-gender-issues-and-nursing/

Scully, N. J. (2014). Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognising inherent

values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Retrieved
from National Library of Medicine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26775531/

Veerasimy, V. (2013, October 29). The Importance of Good Definitions (Or: How To
Think Clearly). Retrieved from Referral Candy:
https://www.referralcandy.com/blog/importance-of-good-definitions