According to Florence

Nightingale :
Nursing is an act
of utilizing the
environment of the
patient to assist him
in his recovery
According to Virginia
Henderson:
The unique function of
the nurse is to assist the
individual, sick or well, in the
performance of those
activities contributing to
health that he would perform
unaided if he has the
necessary strength, will and
knowledge, and do this in such
a way as to help him gain
independence as rapidly as
possible.
 According to ANA, 2003
 Nursing is the protection,
promotion, and
optimization of health and
abilities, prevention of
illness and injury,
alleviation of suffering
though the diagnosis and
treatment of human
response, and advocacy in
the care of individuals,
families, communities and
populations.
I. Period of Intuitive Nursing
II. Period of Apprentice
Nursing/Middle Ages
III. Period of Educated
Nursing/Nightingale Era 19th-20th
century
IV. Period of Contemporary
Nursing/20th Century
 Nursing was “untaught” and
instinctive. It was performed of
compassion for others, out of the
wish to help others.
 Nursing was a function that
belonged to women. It was viewed
as a natural nurturing job for
women. She is expected to take
good care of the children, the sick
and the aged.
 No caregiving training is evident. It
was based 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
 the medicine man that doctor had the
power to heal
 Shaman or witch doctor use the following:
 white magic
 Hypnosis
 Charms
 Dances
 Incantation
 Purgatives
 Massage
 Fire
 water
 herbs
Nepalese Shamanic
Healing Practices
a series of words said as a magic
spell or charm
 This is an ancient
"cleaning" ceremony.
 It consists of drinking
purgative plants from the
rainforest in ceremonies
that last for aproximately
3 hours in order to get rid
of toxins both physical
and emotional.
 Vomiting is commong
during this ceremony.
 Trepanning
 drilling a hole in the skull with a rock
or stone without anesthesia was a last
resort to drive evil spirits from the
body of the afflicted.
 First evident in Neolithic period
 Care was done by crusaders,
prisoners, religious orders
 Nursing care was performed
without any formal education and
by people who were directed by
more experienced nurses (on the
job training).
 This Nursing care was developed by
religious orders of the Christian
Church.

 ReligiousChristian orders emerged

to take care of the sick
 During Reformation movement lead
by Martin Luther Nursing went
down to the lowest level
 Wrath/anger of Protestantism
confiscated properties of hospitals
and schools connected with Roman
Catholicism.
 Protestant Reformation
 Protestant Reformation
 Nightingale Era 19th-20th century
 The development of nursing during
this period was strongly influenced
by:
A. trends resulting from wars – Crimean,
civil war
B. arousal of social consciousness
C. increased educational opportunities
offered to women.
 In
1860, The Nightingale Training
School of Nurses opened at St.
Thomas Hospital in London.
 The school served as a model for other
training schools. Its graduates traveled
to other countries to manage hospitals
and institute nurse-training programs.
 Nightingalesystem was more on
developing the profession within
hospitals.
 Nurses should be taught in hospitals
associated with medical schools and
that the curriculum should include
both theory and practice.
 NightingaleTraining School of
Nurses was the 1st school of nursing
that provided both theory-based
knowledge and clinical skill
building.
 Nursing evolved as an art and
science
 Formal nursing education and
nursing service begun
 Training of Nurses in diploma
program
 Development of baccalaureate and
advance degree programs
 Scientific
and technological
development as well as social
changes mark this period.
a. Health is perceived as a fundamental
human right
b. Nursing involvement in community health
c. Technological advances – disposable
supplies and equipments
d. Expanded roles of nurses was
developed
e. WHO was established by the
United Nations
f. Aerospace Nursing was developed
g. Use of atomic energies for medical
diagnosis, treatment
h. Computers were utilized-data
collection, teaching, diagnosis,
inventory, payrolls, record keeping,
billing.
i. Use of sophisticated equipment for
diagnosis and therapy.