Origins of Nursing - Research Paper Example

Module Origin of Nursing Nursing roots can be traced back to the man’s evolution. With the existence of life, it is believed that there was need for nursing to be practiced in ancient set ups. For the human race to have existed since its inception, nursing had to be the key factor behind its successful preservation. The word nurse originated from the Latin word nutritious, to mean nourishing. With time, nursing has been defined in different forms by various authors. According to Baly (44), when one is healthy, has the will or the nursing knowledge, he or she can perform certain activities. When the same person is not in a position to carry out these activities owing to illness, and there comes someone who can assist this person in performing the activities which aid in the person’s recovery or a peaceful death, then that is nursing. The International Council of Nurses defines nursing as “to assist an individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or to its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to help in gaining independence as rapidly as possible” (Baly 51). Nursing has been a profession to many old and young people across generations and nations. In addition, it is viewed to be among the oldest humanitarian services (Baly 177). Scientifically, nursing is a body on its own, and not only is it a science but also an art, providing skillful health care to patients in a way that enhances the general relationships between the patient, family and the nurses (Pavey 59). From a direct point of view, nursing deals with illness prevention and ensuring of quality health standards. From a wider point of view, nursing does not just concern itself with care of the sick and ageing, but it is also concerned with the conservation of good health practices and prevention of medical disorders. The artistry of nursing is likened to the care mothers gave to their families in ancient homes. It is believed that this art has been modeled over time into modern nursing that is skilled and a science that is well-organized. It is evident that nursing has undergone numerous changes across centuries and continents. A study conducted on nursing will highlight the problems faced in the past, the solution to those problems and how nursing has evolved despite the various obstacles. Traditionally, when a mother took tender care of her sick young one, it was a sign of nursing. Along with these natural abilities that include mercy, love and kindness (humanitarianism), special training combined with suitable experience and self-sacrifice, a nursing profession has been created. Archaic Nursing. Many myths have been created, many tunes have been composed, and a handful of findings have been made about pre-historic human’s care for the sick. In the ancient African setting, it was believed that illness was as a result of evil spirits (Nutting and Dock 44). To get rid of the evil spirit, traditional medicines were administered, drums beaten and magic rites performed so as to frighten away the spirits. The treatment done to the body was aimed at getting rid of these evil spirits. Other forms of traditional treatment include massage, bone setting as well as hot and warm/hot births etc. In this case, the doctor or the nurse was the medicine man, the witch doctor or the priest physician. Nursing in Ancient Egypt. Egypt has been known to be one of the key contributors of ancient discoveries. According to Nutting and Dock (24), nursing is one of them, and its origin has been associated with the Egyptians who viewed medicine to have its origin in divinity. Egypt holds home to one of the oldest records of medicine dating way back to 1600 B.C. (Pavey 86). Numerous medical sources, illustration of diseases and their associated treatments, surgery and medicine used are found in Hieroglyphic writings on papyrus which are in the temples of pre-historic Egypt and from the Pyramids. Hospitals later came to replace the then temples while the priests were replaced by the doctors/nurses. Nutting and Dock (90) believe that those women with higher ranks in the society and who became priestesses were basically the nurses while mothers and daughters took care of the sick at their homes. In Egypt, the Imhotep was the priest physician and because of his kindness and love that he shows to his patients coupled with successful healings, he was promoted to the deity rank (Pavey 49). It is believed that ancient Egyptians discovered 250 diseases with their subsequent drugs for their treatment and surgery where necessary (Nutting and Dock 121). Priest physicians read sacred books and they were strictly to follow these books in their medicinal duties for if they were to fail, they were to be directly answerable. Egypt may be holding one of the oldest nursing knowledge, its progress declined since no further experiments were carried out to further the discoveries (Nutting and Dock 133). Ancient Nursing in Greece. In ancient Greece, nursing was likened to religion. The god of healing was Apollo the Sun god, the god of medicine was Asclepius, the son of Apollo, while the daughter of Apollo, Hygiea, was the goddess of health. These gods were prayed to by the Greek for illnesses to be healed (Nutting and Dock (147). Worship temples were also used as treatment centers which were headed by the priest physician. The location of these temples made it a cool place where the nursing activities can be conducted, probably the countryside. In Greece, beauty and perfection was emphasized in a positive and healthy environment, and not in sickness and misery. Greece was where personal hygiene emerged and grew. The people were advised to keep personal cleanliness, keep fit and suitable diets, rather than environmental sanitation matters. In 100 BC, Hippocrates, the Father of Scientific Medicine suggested that health and prevention of illnesses is relative to certain laws of nature (Pavey 217). Hippocrates also went ahead to create an Ethical code of conduct directed towards those who intend to get involved in medicine and its practices (Pavey 227). As part of Nightingale’s pledge, some of the code of ethics is currently used by medical students (Nutting and Dock 236). He differentiated between religion and medicine for the first time. At that period, Greece was much influential in historic events; they introduced entities viewed as modern city hospitals. In addition to that, they discovered scientific methods of medical diagnosis and record keeping. Pre-Historic Nursing in Rome. One of the things Rome is best known of is the advances they had in public health (Nutting and Dock 76). According to Pavey (88), ancient Roman cities had public baths, proper sanitation, drainage and sewage system and a public dispensary. In addition, Roman noble women offered tender care for the sick, and as Christianity grew, deacons and deaconesses acted as doctors and nurses respectively. In order to learn about anatomy and illness, numerous experiments were performed on animals by Galen, a 100 BC Greek physician (Pavey 127). Pre-Historic Nursing of the Hebrews. The relation of contemporary bacteriology to the laws and principles of sanitation are evident in the writings of the Hebrews in the Old Testament. Emphasis was put on food selection, sanitation, midwifery, segregation of the sick and disinfection (Pavey 97). The Early Church. In the early church, Christians believed that love services offered to humanity are not be rewarded as it evaluates to sincere love of the Almighty (Pavey 37). This theory was incorporated and aided in development of nursing. Suitable examples for the women who participated in Christian church nursing include: Phoebe. First deaconess, who was the best nurse, educated and intelligent, took care of the sick in their homes, and is compared to the modern public health nurse (Nutting and Dock 21). Fabiola. At a young age, Fabiola was a beautiful and attractive woman who was a daughter of a great Roman Noble that converted her palace into a hospital making it the first Christian hospital in Rome. Her hospital took care of the poor and the sick who were collected from the streets (Nutting and Dock 17). Paula. She followed the path of Fabiola, her friend and became a nurse for the sick to the extent of building a hospital to carter for strangers, pilgrims, those travelling and the sick, including constructing a monastery in Bethlehem which provided good nursing care to the ill people (Nutting and Dock 14). Marcella. In ancient Rome, women with higher ranks offered care to the sick, and in this case is Marcella, who was a rich woman (Pavey 141). She led women groups to engage in charitable activities. Research shows that monks and nuns dedicated their lives in the service of those in the society who are poor and sick. They built monasteries which then became learning centers and health care homes and were skilled in the use of home remedies (Pavey 111) . More knowledge was obtained through the education system offered at the monasteries, which basically was the foundation of universities. At the end of the 13th century, nursing had separated itself from medicine and surgery, with medicine taking the upper hand in advancement (Nutting and Dock 161). Modern Nursing. As modern nursing was in its labor stages in Europe, other parts were still practicing the ancient ways of medical care which lasted between 1700 down to 1853. In 1836, a German Pastor Theodor Fliedner built the Deaconess Institute of Kaiserswerth to train Deaconesses on how to attend to the sick and offering of other social services. Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale is well appreciated globally for her contribution towards the poor and the sick. In addition, she also contributed greatly to humanity and to promote the profession of nursing and raise its status in the society (Pavey 53). Born of a wealthy English family on 12th May 1820, she grew interest in politics and people. Having gone through an education system similar to that of men of their time, Nightingale began to visit and offer services to the sick and the old in her community (Pavey 200). She also visited hospitals in England end most parts of Europe. Across her various trips, she noted that for nurses to be effective, a good education system that would provide the nurses with necessary knowledge, skills and discipline was mandatory. This earned her a place as a Superintendent of the Institution for the Care of the Sick Gentlewomen in London (Nutting and Dock 140). In 1854, she and her nurses tendered to numerous injured and dying soldiers during the Crimean War, helping them with a communication means to their relatives through writing of letters as she walked around with a lamp, crowning her the name “The Lady with the Lamp” (Pavey 170). As a devoted nurse, Nightingale and a group of unskilled nurses visited a British hospital located at Scutari in Turkey, only to find patients (soldiers) lying down in their uniforms covered in blood and she organized for a cleaning exercise so as to provide the soldiers with suitable medical attention. This campaign saw her efforts help decrease the rate at which British soldiers died from a massive 42% to an amazing 2% during war times (Pavey 150). Her other contributions in nursing include founding St. Thomas Hospital in London, which was the first nursing training school. Nightingale is often viewed as the founder of modern nursing education, as she went ahead to establish an Army Medical School at Fort Pitt. She later died in her sleep in 1910 aged 90. Florence Nightingale Pledge, the modified Hippocratic Oath which was done by Mrs. Lystra E. Gretter and her committee representing Farand Training School for Nurses in Detroit, is named after her in appraisal of her achievements in nursing. This pledge is taken by any nurse who has completed the nursing training program before they start the real practice. The Nurses Pledge: “I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession and will hold the confidence in all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty, I will endeavor to aid the physician in his work and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care” (Baly 26). In conclusion, nursing has existed since mankind began existing, which has its dates traced to very long periods back. All the activities carried out by ancient mothers when the young ones were in pain to help them ease the pain was a form of nursing, which is attributed to the current mother care or children homes where little children are taken care of. Nursing has also undergone numerous and valuable changes that have aided it in its becoming an ideal profession appreciated by many globally. Works Cited Baly, M. Florence Nightingale and the Nursing Legacy. London: Whurr, 1997. Print. Nutting, M. A. and Dock, L. A History of Nursing: The Evolution of Nursing Systems from the Earliest Times to the Foundation of the First English and American Training Schools for Nurses. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907. Print. Pavey, A. E. The History of the Growth of Nursing as an Art, a Vocation, and a Profession (4th ed.). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1953. Print. Annotated Bibliography Baly, M. Florence Nightingale and the Nursing Legacy. London: Whurr, 1997. Print. This book looks at the history of nursing especially during the period of the Second World War, a time when Florence Nightingale rose to prominence with her medical care to wounded soldiers. The book is relevant in that it provides the writer with information of how she contributed to nursing as a profession, which is a major evolution exhibited in nursing. Nutting, M. A. and Dock, L. A History of Nursing: The Evolution of Nursing Systems from the Earliest Times to the Foundation of the First English and American Training Schools for Nurses. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907. Print. This book gives a detailed description of the origin of nursing, how nursing has evolved from the less sophisticated traditional ways to more sophisticated modern methods of medical care. The book provides the writer with relevant evidences of the first English and American training schools that were part of the nursing evolution process. Pavey, A. E. The History of the Growth of Nursing as an Art, a Vocation, and a Profession. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1953. Print. From the various definitions of nursing, some viewed it as an art. This book helps the writer to understand and trace the growth of nursing from an ancient art into a modern profession adored by many globally. Read More