History of Nursing Education Research Papers The Protestant Deaconess Movement

The modern nursing profession originated from the Protestant Deaconess Movement of the early 19th century in Europe. Deaconesses provided care for the sick in special housing made to accommodate ill people. In 1836 the first formal secular training for nurses was arranged in Kaiserwerth, Germany. Florence Nightingale, one of the nurses who attended that training, became the founder of a nursing movement that defined the essence of nursing profession. Her stimulating work pushed nursing to the limits and encouraged women of all social positions to seek a nursing career. By 1864, about 1600 nurses from all over the world had become the graduates from training centre of Kaiserwerth. By the late 1800’s numerous schools of nursing were established in the United States, and in 1900 The American Journal of Nursing was founded. In 1911 the American Nurses Association was organized. During the period of Depression, home care nursing was shifted to hospital nursing care, and, as a result, nursing ceased to be an independent profession. During the World Wars, nursing was recognized as an essential part of the war effort serving for their country. The baby boom years (the 1950’s and 1960’s) brought about the expansion of the nursing field. Racial discrimination no longer existed in nursing education and organizations. By the 1980’s the health care industry grew at an unseen rate. This necessitated a boost in nursing opportunities such as specialization and higher learning.