History of nursing

In recent years, the nursing profession has grown significantly and attracted widespread attention. Compared to ten years ago, history of nursing Significant progress has been made. In our country, during the French colonial period, they built many hospitals, and from there, the Vietnamese nursing profession was born. It can be said that the nursing profession has a very proud history of development. Viet My College will briefly outline the history of nursing in the world and in Vietnam to help us better understand the role and significance of nurses.

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1. The history of nursing worldwide

The role of care and nurturing begins with women's responsibility towards their family members. Gradually, as society developed, they participated in community activities, leading to the emergence of organizations that help care for the sick, and on this basis, the nursing profession developed.

There are also people who believe that, nursing They appeared around the 3rd century, when the Roman Empire was at its most powerful. The Roman Empire established a hospital in each of its towns, and in each hospital there were assistants who helped doctors care for patients. These assistants, both male and female, were called "hypourgoi".

1.1 Nursing in the Middle Ages

Medieval nursing laid the foundation for the development of modern nursing. When European countries enacted new laws, it facilitated the proliferation of hospitals. Monasteries began building their own hospitals to provide services to their parishioners. Furthermore, every church had its own hospital. Because of these policies, more than 150 hospitals were built in Germany between 1200 and 1600.

In the 16th century, Camillus de Lellis established a group dedicated to caring for the poor, the sick, and prisoners. In 1633, the Chariting Sisters founded an organization for the care of the sick called Saint Vincent de Paul, sending their "nurses" all over the world.

Saint Vincent de Paul

In the early 17th century, due to the Protestant Reformation, religious organizations were dissolved, causing a serious decline in the size of the nursing profession, and society developed a negative attitude towards nursing.

1.2 Florence Nightingale and the Formation of Modern Nursing

Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) was born and raised in a wealthy and influential English family with close ties to the British government. Therefore, she was forbidden from pursuing lowly professions such as nursing.

With her intelligence and a heart filled with anguish at witnessing poverty and disease, she defied her parents' wishes and began researching and seeking out books on caring for the sick. She traveled to hospitals in London and the surrounding areas to help the poor, disabled, and homeless.

Between 1854 and 1856, the Crimean War broke out between Russia and Britain, France, and Türkiye. Florence Nightingale and 38 other nurses were sent to Turkey, where the British army was stationed. At this time, in the military district, more than 4,000 British soldiers were wounded or died from cholera and typhoid. The number of deaths from disease was higher than on the battlefield. She quickly realized that the main causes of infection were malnutrition, poor hygiene, and clogged sewers and ventilation systems leading to severe air pollution. Florence Nightingale boldly requested assistance from the British government. In March 1855, the British government sent personnel to disinfect and clear the sewer system, which significantly reduced the death rate in a short period of time.

The Times called Florence Nightingale "The Lady with the Lamp." During the arduous years of fighting, while other doctors and nurses went to rest, Florence Nightingale still went alone to check on the sick infirmaries, her face filled with worry for the soldiers suffering in pain.

Upon returning to England, Florence Nightingale dedicated the rest of her life to the cause of patient care. She and others established the "Nightingale Foundation" and the "Nightingale School of Nursing," which later laid the foundation for nursing in England and worldwide. Her book, "The Nursing Handbook," became a legacy and a fundamental training resource for other nursing schools.  

1.3 Date of establishment of nursing

To commemorate and recognize Florence Nightingale's contributions to the world of nursing, the International Council of Nurses has designated her birthday, May 12th, as International Nurses Day.  

1.4. Symbols of the global nursing profession

The image of "the woman with the lamp" during the war years will forever remain a beautiful image in people's hearts. Rarely has a woman in history been as beloved by the British army and people as Florence Nightingale. Her dedication, selflessness, quiet devotion, and love for humanity became a symbol and guiding principle of the nursing profession. From then on, the image of the lamp became a symbol of nursing worldwide.
(To be continued)

Author: Pham Phan - Date written: December 31, 2018

Category: Nursing, News - Events, Uncategorized