Nursing is one of the oldest known professions, where even the earliest nurses were acknowledged and compensated for their expert knowledge and skill. Today, nurses make up approximately 80% of health care team worldwide, consistently, continually, and diligently working together to set and maintain high standards for safe and effective patient care.
In celebration of Nurses Week…
… let’s look at some of the first major achievements in nursing:
- In 1645, Jeanne Mance established the first hospital in North America, the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal.
- In 1860, Florence Nightingale established professional nursing with the rise of her nursing school at the Saint Thomas’ Hospital in London. It was the first secular nursing school in the world.
- In 1873, Florence Nightingale provided results from her own research, showing that enhanced sanitation practices decreased mortality rates among soldiers in India by nearly 75%. These findings led to the implementation of improved sanitation practices and aseptic techniques where healthcare was provided.
- In 1873, the first nursing school in the United States was opened at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, where Florence Nightingale’s principles of nursing was used to create the nursing curriculum.
- In 1879, Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African American woman to graduate as a professional nurse.
- In 1886, the first American nursing journal, The Nightingale was published.
- In 1896, the American Nurses Association was founded.
- In 1899, the International Council of Nurses was formed.
- In 1909, the American Red Cross Nursing service was established.
- In 1923, the Nursing Act of 1919 became effective, where the registration of nurses becomes standard practice in health care, creating the title of Registered Nurse.
This blog post was originally published on Calling All Nurses!
Best Wishes!
-Damion
