History of Nursing in America
The history of nursing in America is the history of the evolution from women and men with no formal training, using folk remedies and medicines, to the trained professional nurses of today, certified and regulated by federal and state institutions. Nursing as a trained profession started in the late 1800s in England under the leadership of Florence Nightingale. The United States quickly created its own regulatory organizations and training programs, and professional nursing in America was born. Nowadays, nursing is an established and respected profession worldwide, and the United States sets the standards for much of the world.
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The Civil War and Clara Barton
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Sadly, the evolution of nursing in America follows closely the wars United States has fought. During the Civil War (1861-1865) the unprecedented number of injured soldiers and the degree of their injuries made it clear that trained professionals were needed. The work of one particular nurse, Clara Barton, stood out from the rest during these troubled times. She continued to be a leading figure in nursing and was instrumental in founding the American Red Cross.
Early Nursing Training and Schools
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In 1873, the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing in New York City was the first school of nursing to open in the United States based on Florence Nightingale's principles. The John Hopkins School of Nursing opened in 1889 in direct consultation with Florence Nightingale herself.
These programs focused on training nurses for the practical tasks they carried out in hospitals. Standardized programs increased the quality of nurse's educational training, and nurses started working in doctor's private practices around the country. -
Early Nursing Associations
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In 1888 the first nurse alumnae association was created at the Training School for Nurses in Philadelphia. The year after, graduates from the Bellevue Training School followed suit. The growth of local associations set the foundations for the first national associations: the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools in 1893 and the Nurses Associated Alumnae Association in 1896. Many of the leaders behind this move towards self-organization were nurses, who often took part in more than one nursing association. In 1931 the American Nurse Association was created and till today represents registered nurses in the United States.
The Great War
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In 1917 the United States entered World War I, dramatically increasing the need for nurses. The new types of injuries caused by modern weaponry and the advances in patient care increased the education and skill nurses needed to do their jobs. After the war, the number of nurses was so large there was not enough work for them all.
Nursing Laws
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Nursing licensing laws began in 1903 in North Carolina North Carolina was the first state to create a nursing license law in 1903. From the 1930s through to the 1950s, compulsory licensing laws were written that regulated the access to the profession to trained and licensed individuals. They also defined the roles of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. At that time nurses were more limited in the type of care they could provide. However, in 1955 the American Nurses Association issued a new definition of nursing that allowed nurses carry out more roles without doctor's supervision. From the 1970s to now licensing laws have regulated the ever-growing functions of advanced practice nurses.
WWII
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The need for nurses grew again when the United States entered World War II in 1941. The U.S. Cadet Nurses Corps was created to encourage the recruiting, training and placement of nurses towards the war effort.
Nurses Today
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The baby boom, as the dramatic increase in population after the second World War is known, created yet another need for nurses, especially delivery and pediatric nurses. The advances in technology and medical care now required increasing levels of specialization like surgical nursing, forensic nursing, and oncology nursing, to mention a few. Medicare was introduced in 1960s and more people took advantage of health care. Since the 1980s, there has been a shortage of nurses to meet the growing need for their expertise. This has caused the government to encourage women and men to train as nurses through grants and other benefits.
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- Photo Credit operation nurse image by Andrey Rakhmatullin from Fotolia.com Justice image by MVit from Fotolia.com
