History of Nursing

• Gradual Development of Nursing

  • Intuitive Nursing (Medieval Period)
  • Apprentice Nursing (Middle Ages)
  • Educated Nursing (Nightingale Era)
  • Contemporary Period (20th Century)
• Anno Domini - "A.D." ; Latin for in the year of the Lord
• Before Christ - "B.C."
• Among the members of the Zuni tribe in Africa, if an infant was born with a part of the placenta covering the face, it was taken as a sign that he or she had been marked as one who was destined to be a caregiver.
• Intuitive Nursing - In this period, nursing practice through oral tradition passed from generation to generation, from observations of others caring for the sick, and many times, through the process of trial and error
• In intuitive nursing period, nursing was "untaught" and instinctive.
• Nursing in Prehistoric Early Christian Era

  • Based more on INTUITION
  • Viewed sickness as evil
  • No caregiving training but based only on experience and observation
• Primitive men believed that illness was caused by the invasion of the victim’s body of evil spirits
• Shaman or Witch Doctor - believed to be the medicine man; had the power to heal by using white magic, hypnosis, charms, dances, incantation, purgatives, massage, fire, water and herbs as means of driving illness from the victim
• Trephination - ancestors idea of neurosurgery and a way of healing by drilling a hole in the skull to drive evil spirits from the body
• Nursing was the duty of Slaves and Wives
• Man's mode of living changed from nomadic style to an agrarian society to urban community life.
• Astrology and numerology were also used in medical practice.
• The Babylonians - originated from southeastern Mesopotamia between Tigris and Euphrates rivers
• Code of Hammurabi (2200 BC) - laws that covered every facet of Babylonia's life including medical practice
• Mummification - used methods of embalming, or treating the dead body
• Art of Embalming - this practice enhances our knowledge of human anatomy
• Hebrews - a group of people who lived northeast of Egypt
• Moses

  - "Father of Sanitation"

  - the practice of hospitality to strangers and acts of charity

  - Promulgated laws of control on the spread of communicable disease and the ritual of circumcision of the male child for health and hygienic reasons
• Judaism - originated from Middle east
• Materia Medica - pharmacology; methods for treating wounds, infections, and muscular affliction, and regarded as the most complete and comprehensive medical book ever written
• Hippocrates - Greek physicians known as the "Father of Medicine"
• Hippocratic Oath - a code of conduct for doctors and the basis of all medical practice today
• Galen - Greek physician born over 500 years after Hippocrates, incorporated much of Hippocrates' teachings
• Caduceus (Staff of Hermes) - the traditional ancient Greek or Roman herald's wand carried by the messenger god Hermes or Mercury, and features two snakes winding around the winged staff
• The serpents represent health and healing, combined with wings symbolizing speed.
• Caduceus - the badge or insignia of medicine and the medical professions
• Marcella, Fabiola and Paula were considered Roman matrons, wealthy women who tended to the poor and the sick and established institutions for providing care.
• Fabiola - selling all her belongings and founding the first hospital in the western world
• Saint Fabiola - founder of the first Christian hospital in Rome
• Phoebe - first visiting nurse because of expert home nursing care provider
• Sushuruto - First recording on the nursing practice in India
• Sushruta Samhita - "Father of Surgery"
• Apprentice Nursing - the nursing care was done by crusaders, prisoners, & religious orders
• Military Religious Orders

  • Knight of Saint John of Jerusalem
  • Teutonic Knights
  • Knights of Saint Lazarus
  • Alexian Brothers
  • Saint Vincent de Paul
  • Louise de Gras
  • Saint Claire of Assisi
• Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem - Also called “Knights of the Hospitalers”; established to give care
• Teutonic Knights - took subsequent wars in the Holy Land; cared for the injured and established hospitals in military camps
• Knights of Saint Lazarus - care for those who suffered Leprosy, syphilis, and skin diseases
• Alexian Brothers - a monasteric order founded in 1348
• Alexian Brothers School of Nursing - largest school under religious auspices exclusively in the US