The unprecedented circumstances that we face today exposes the heroic nature and honorable qualities of individuals who work in essential professions, especially in health care.
Nursing is the largest health care profession and they work in a a variety of environments. Many credit Florence Nightingale for starting the nursing profession when she and a group of nurses took care of British soldiers during the Crimean War in 1854. Nursing programs advanced after the Civil War, opening job opportunities for women both in and outside the hospital. Despite this diversity, women faced obstacles after graduating from nursing school. Hospitals only hired a few nurses at a time, and private nursing did not provide a stable income. It was not until several decades later, that hospitals started hiring a regular staff of nurses.
World War I employed many nurses to care for soldiers on the front lines. Also, thousands of nurses volunteered for the American Red Cross, using their skills to save lives. The image depicted below is featured in the May 17, 1918 Perth Amboy Evening News.
Nursing continued to be a crucial asset after World War I. During World War II, nurses excelled in their services, similar as they did during the First World War. During the 1960s, nurses were awarded Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degrees through their nursing education programs.
Today, the nursing program continues to flourish and adapt to the current demands and advancements in the health care industry. The field is arduous, but extremely rewarding as nurses are faced with obstacles, even ones that are invisible.
So, do you want to be a nurse?
The image below is featured in the August 9, 1918 Perth Amboy Evening News.
(Contributed by Kristi Chanda)
Source
American Nursing: An Introduction to the Past. (n.d.). University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Retrieved from https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/nhhc/american-nursing-an-introduction-to-the-past/