Nursing others has been around for as long as humanity has existed. Early practices of health care evolved as a way for groups to survive. Many of these early links between humans and environment was due to superstition and religion. Early evidence suggests that techniques such as mind-body connection, isolation, and banishment from a group, and fumigation were all ways used to manage disease and protect the community. A specialized role as a nurse was not developed in early civilization but human cultures recognized the need for nursing care.
During the Greek era, Hippocrates emphasized the rational treatment of sickness as a natural influence rather than it being influenced by god. Hospitals in the 19th century were considered dirty and disgraceful. They were unventilated and contaminated by infections. During this time to be in the hospital increased one’s chances of dying.
Nursing in the 19th century was considered and inferior occupation. During the industrial revolution Florence Nightingale came to nursing she cleaned up the hospitals environment by encouraging clean dressings, hand washing, clean facilities, and well cooked edible food to increase nutrition in the ill. Florence Nightingale developed schools for nursing education.
Nursing today is still revolving around Nightingales thoughts and ideas. Nursing is no longer considered an inferior occupation. Education for nurses has evolved from the hospital setting to colleges and universities. Nursing is an occupation that is always changing.
Healthcare today is focused on managed care. It focuses on federal coverage, access and controlling of healthcare costs. Nurses today find that the lessons of the past makes the nursing profession well prepared to provide care with the direction needed to focus on the full range of quality and cost management.