MSN-FP6103 Capella University History of Nursing Education Paper Example

MSN-FP6103 Capella University History of Nursing Education Paper Example

The nursing profession has evolved dramatically in response to the shifting environment of the healthcare business. The field has also evolved to provide additional professional standards and academic requirements to an already popular occupation. Nursing education’s chronological history demonstrates how much the field has changed over the centuries. Changes in nursing education have complemented modifications in the prerequisites of the nursing role. Nursing has progressed from basic caregiving and minor assistance to a professional discipline that necessitates substantial formal training. Nursing competency today necessitates the combination of abilities, ethics, and judgment.

Key Historical Influences On Nursing And Nursing Education Today

Florence Nightingale established the first professional nursing school in 1860 (Santainés-Borredá & Camaño-Puig, 2021). Florence Nightingale is widely regarded as the pioneer of modern nursing. She is well known for her work with soldiers throughout the Crimean War. During that period, her emphasis on hygiene was essential in lowering the mortality rate. Nightingale sponsored and founded the Nightingale Training School in 1860, which is today affiliated with King’s College London. She was instrumental in introducing primary care to the world.

The American Nurses Association was founded in 1896 as the Nurses Associated Alumnae to improve nursing care for the military.  There were no licensing standards in the nursing industry at the time. Following North Carolina’s passage of legislation that established and standardized the discipline of nursing in 1903, other states began to follow suit (Duncan et al., 2020). In 1911, the Nurses Associated Alumnae renamed themselves the American Nurses Association, and it today represents registered nurses across the country. Its purpose is to establish benchmarks for the nursing profession, enhance the working conditions for registered nurses, and regulate nursing education and curriculum in the USA.

Yale Nursing School, the first private nursing school in the United States, admitted women to its curriculum in 1923. Yale’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program was founded in 1925 (Duncan et al., 2020). Students had to complete a general college diploma elsewhere before enrolling in the course. Applicants were obliged to complete a bachelor’s degree at another institution or university before enrolling at Yale Nursing School beginning in 1934 (Duncan et al., 2020).

The first hospice program in the United States was established in 1974 (Hamel, 2019). Florence Wald became interested in the care of terminally sick people in the 1960s. She thought that at that stage in their life, such people should prioritize bonding with loved ones above undergoing therapy after treatment for an incurable condition. Wald established a hospice program that provided in-home care for persons with life-threatening conditions in 1974 (Hamel, 2019).

These influences are significant because they contributed to the development of the nursing practice and nursing education as we know it today. They have made a difference by elevating nursing to the status of a respected profession, supporting professional education and training, and highlighting the value of the nurse-patient connection (Maloney & Woolforde, 2019). Their efforts have aided nursing advancement and increased patient care quality.