The History of Public Health and the Role of the Community/Public Health Nurse Melissa Wixon Walden University NURS 4011 Section 05, Family, Community and Population-Based Care July 19, 2014 The History of Public Health and the Role of the Community/Public Health Nurse For over one hundred years, nurses have worked within the community to improve the health of its’ citizens, families and overall populations, all while attempting to develop strategies to solve evolving health threats to society. From early colonial times to current times, nurses work feverishly to not only treat the sick but increase the healthy. The purpose of this paper is to give a history of public health nursing, the impact that public health nursing has had on society from the local, state and national level, and to discuss an ethical dilemma that may be encountered while dealing within in these nursing roles. History of Public Health Nursing Early nursing began in the home, as women cared for their children and families. After the American Revolution, basic public health services evolved, and with that the eventually establishment of the Red Cross in America.
She grew up in a wealthy family in an era when young women were to grow up to be proper homemakers, respectable society members, and civilized, obedient wives to their husbands. During this time women in the “nursing profession”, or rather those who looked after the ill and destitute in hospitals, were considered low class and “little less than prostitutes” (Bloy, 2010). Nightingale’s interests in nursing began to manifest when she was 16 after she “experienced a ‘calling’ from God to serve humankind”, and although she had similar impressions in the following years and identified her desire to be a nurse at age 24, she was not able to break away from her family’s disapproval to train in nursing until age 31 (Fitzpatrick & Whall, 2005, p. 22). A couple of years after Nightingale completed a period of training to be a sick nursing in Germany, the Crimean War broke out and Nightingale, along with 38 other nurses, traveled to Scutari to offer their services in the military hospitals (Fitzpatrick & Whall, 2005). It was here where
I also studied mathematics, philosophy, religion, and statistics and became the first female member of the Royal Statistical Society. I believed that God was calling me for a career in nursing, and when I was 31-years old, my family reluctantly agreed to my being trained as a nurse. Nurses in Britain at that time were seen as being in a lowly profession, comprised mainly of uneducated, working class girls, who were often depicted as drunk, debauched, and in hospitals that were unfit for ladies (Whyte, 2010). Nevertheless, in 1851, I went to Germany to the Deaconess Institute in Kaiserswerth, where I trained as a nurse for three months. I worked for a year as the head of the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentle Women on Harley Street in London.
A woman once said "Educate a boy, you educate a man, but educate a girl and you educate a family" (Face To Face: We Founded, n.d. pg.1). This woman was Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, born on February 27, 1857, who was an incredible woman with the qualities of a leader and inspiring other women with her speeches (Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead, n.d. pg.1). She changed many women's lives as she made education beyond grade 8 possible for women and girls as well as helping women reach equality with men. It all started when Adelaide went to Ladies College and met John Hoodless whom she married and later had 4 children (Who Is Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, n.d. pg.1). Then, tragedy struck in the family.
Being a nurse has always meant more to me than a white dress, it provides excellent job, opportunities, as well as an identity. Although nursing is a great career, it is much more than just a job. As a nurse you get a little glimpse into people’s private lives. You are there at their worst and best moments in life. In one day you may have to tell someone that a
Providing me with this scholarship money will not only help me get through my schooling now, but it will also give the world, one more nurse who can be an angel to a sick child, like my cousin Vincent. This scholarship will help fund a compassionate, and driven seventeen - year – old girl who imagines becoming the reason that some kids aren’t afraid of the doctor anymore; a girl who envisions smiles after shots and one less sick child. If becoming a pediatric nurse means I can make that impact, then I’ll be glad to do that for the rest of my
Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell When she graduated from New York's Geneva Medical College, in 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to earn the M.D. degree. She supported medical education for women and helped many other women's careers. She also published several important books on the issue of women in medicine. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol, England in 1821, to Hannah Lane and Samuel Blackwell.
Now that’s growing up without a childhood. Jane Smiley seems like a great parent who cares about her children but to allow her daughters to put on makeup even entering their teenage years just isn’t right. Her girls where prematurely growing up, where behaving beyond their age, and with their only priority being beautiful at all times it seem to help them in the long run. As they burned off the “Barbie stage” and grew into more important things down their lives. Like for example Smiley talks about her older daughter, “Now she is planning to graduate school and law school and become an expert on woman’s health issues, perhaps adolescent health issues like anorexia and bulimia” (377).
Fatima Fabia English 105 February 25,2014 Essay #1: Narrative Essay Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant From a very young age I have always had a caring nature about my family, about myself, about my friends and those that needed help in general. As a little girl I decided very early on that I would want to help people, how would I help people I did not know but I knew some way or somehow I would make a difference in the people I cared for. It wasn’t till I arrived in the United States in October of 2008 is when I see how I achieve this dream of caring for others through the various position within the healthcare industry specifically as a Certified Nursing Assistant. What appealed to me, as a Certified Nursing Assistant was that I was caring for a truly “in need” groups of people. I realized these people having contributed to advancing society and raising their own families and doing their part were now in need of someone helping them.
Introduction Nursing is a profession that was known even before our year count started. In history, nursing has been described as caring for those in need of support due to poor health. In the past nursing was not the task of professionals but of those surrounding the ill (Verberk and Kuiper, 2006). Around 1859 a description of nursing as a profession was created from the writings of Florence Nightingale. Due to Nightingale’s efforts to develop nursing into a profession and to provide those practicing with proper education, nursing was professionalised.