NURSING AS A PROFESSION (The

Development of Nursing) War

Nursing today is far different from nursing as it was
practiced years ago, and it is expected to continue
changing during the 21st century. To comprehend present-
day nursing and at the same time prepare for the future,
one must understand not only the past events but also
the contemporary nursing practice and the sociologic and
historical factors that affect it (Kosier, 2022).
Historical Perspectives Nursing has undergone dramatic
change in response to societal needs and influences.
Century back, nursing was seen to be part of (1) women’s
roles; (2) societal attitudes (3) religion (4) part of visionary
leadership. (WSRP)
• Throughout history, wars have accentuated the need for
nurses.
• During the Crimean War (1854-1856), the inadequacy of
care given to soldiers led to a public outcry in Great
Britain
• The role of Florence Nightingale played has been known.
• Nightingale and her nurses transformed the military
hospitals by setting up sanitation practices, such as
handwashing.

Visionary Nursing Leaders

Women’s Roles
• Traditional female roles of wife, mother,
daughter, and sister have always included the care and
nurturing of other family members. W,M,D,S
• From the beginning of time, women cared for
infants and children; thus nursing could be said to have its
roots in the home.
• In addition, women who in general occupied a
subservient and dependent role, were called to care for
others in the community who were ill.
Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Linda Richards, Mary
Mahoney, Lillian Wald, and Lavinia Dock, Luther
Christman are among the leaders who have notable
contributions both to nursing’s history and to American
history. These nurses were all astute pioneers. Their skills
at influencing others and bringing about change remain
models for political nurse activists today (Kozier, 2022).
__F,C,L,M,L,L,L

• It is for this reason that the traditional role has

always entailed humanistic caring, nurturing, comforting,
and supporting roles.

Men’s Roles

• Men do experience barriers to becoming nurses.

• Nursing image is seen as a feminine role and nursing has

been slow to adopt a gender neutral image. As a result,
many people may believe that men who choose the
profession of nursing are emasculated, gay or sexually
deviant, which is not true (Hodges, et al., 2017).

Religion

• Religion has also played a significant role in the ISABEL

development of nursing. Lavinia
HAMPTONDock

• Most of the nurses before were seen to be

belonging to religious sectors like priests and nuns
• In the 19th century, they followed the same
traditions as women’s religious nursing orders, established
hospitals, and provided nursing care.
MEN IN NURSING The Earliest Hospitals Established were the
following:
Steven Miller
1. Hospital Real de Manila (1577). This was
✓ Formed the organization called Men in Nursing
established mainly to care for the Spanish King’s soldiers,
(1971)
but also admitted civilians in the long run; founded by
Luther Christman (1974) Gov. Francisco de Sande.

✓ Organized a group of males in Chicago. The first 2. San Lazaro Hospital. This hospital was founded
male Dean at University School of Nursing. by Brother Juan Clemente and was administered for many
years by the Hospitallers of San Juan de Dios; built
exclusively for patients with leprosy.

3. Hospital de Indio (1586). Established by the

History of Nursing in the Philippines Franciscan Order; service was in general supported by alms
Early Beliefs and Practices and contributions from charitable persons.

Diseases and their causes and treatment were shrouded
with mysticism and superstitions.
1. Beliefs about causation of disease:
a. Another person (an enemy of witch)
b. Evil spirits
2. People believed that evil spirits could be driven
away by a person with powers to expel demons.
4. Hospital de Aguas Santas (1590). Established in
Laguna; near a medicinal spring, founded by Brother J.
Bautista of the Franciscan Order.
5. San Juan de Dios Hospital (1596). Founded by
the Brotherhood of Misecordia and administered by the
Hospitallers of San Juan de Dios; support was delivered
from alms and rents; rendered general health service to
the public.

3. People believed in special gods of healings with

priest physicians (called doctors) as intermediaries). If Nursing During the Philippine Revolution
they used leaves/roots, they were called “herb doctors”
The prominent persons involved in nursing works were:
or Herbolarios.

Early Care of the Sick

The early Filipinos subscribed to superstitious beliefs and

practices in relation to health and sickness. Herbmen
were called “Herbicheros” meaning one who practiced
witchcraft persons suffering from diseases without any
identified cause were believed to be bewitched by the
mangkukulam or manggagaway”.

Difficult childbirth and some diseases (called pamao)

were attributed to “nuno’s”. Midwife assisted in
childbirth. During labor, the mabuting hilot (good
midwife) was called in. If birth became difficult, witches
were supposed to be the cause. To disperse their
influence, gunpowder exploded from a bamboo cane
close to the head of the sufferer (Udan, 2009).

Health Care During the Spanish Regime

The religious orders exerted their efforts to care for the
sick by building hospitals in the different parts of the
Philippines.

HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS OF NURSING
1. ILOILO MISSION HOSPITAL OF NURSING (ILOILO, 1906)
✓ was established in 1907; run by the Baptist
Foreign Mission of America
✓ In 1907, the Americans started training students
in nursing
✓ Training of students was started by the
Americans when they realized the need for
additional manpower in the United States.
✓ Miss Flora Ernst took charge of the school in
1942. In March 1942, 22 nurses graduated; In
April 1944, graduate nurses took the First Nurses
Board Examination at Iloilo Mission Hospital.
✓ This is the first hospital in the Philippines that
trained Filipino nurses in 1906.
✓ In this period, the Pensionado Act of 1903 (or
Act 854) was mandated to allow Filipino nursing
students to study in the United States.
2. ST PAUL’S HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING (MANILA,
1907)
✓ Was established by the Archbishop of Manila
under the supervision of the Sisters of St. Paul de
Chartres located at Intramuros and provided
general hospital services.
✓ It opened its training school in 1908, with
Mother Melanie as Superintendent and Miss
Chambers as its first Principal.
3. PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING
(1907)
✓ PGH began in 1901 as a small dispensary for Civil
officers and Employees in the City of Manila and
later grow as a Civil Hospital
✓ In 1906, Mary Coleman Masters, an educator
advocated for the idea of training Filipino girls
for the profession of nursing with the approval of
Government officials, she the first opened a
dormitory for Girls enrolled at the Philippine
Normal Hall and the University of the Philippines.
4. ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL OF NURSING (QUEZON CITY,
1907)
✓ The hospital is an Episcopalian Institution. It
began as a small dispensary in 1903.
✓ In 1907, the school opened with three (3)
Filipino girls admitted. These girls had their first
year in combined classes with the Philippine
General Hospital School of Nursing and St.
Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing.
✓ Miss Helen Hicks was the first Principal; Mrs.
Vitaliana Beltran was the First Superintendent of
nurses. Dr. Jose Fores was the first medical
director.
5. MARY JOHNSTON HOSPITAL AND SCHOOL OF NURSING
(MANILA, 1907)
✓ Started as a small dispensary clinic on Calle
Cervantes (now Avenida) and was called Bethany
Dispensary, founded by the Methodist Mission for
the relief of suffering among women and children.
The training course began with three (30 Filipino
young girls fresh from elementary grades as their
first students.
6. PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN MISSION INSTITUTE SCHOOLS OF
NURSING
✓ The United Christian Missionary Society of
Indianapolis, Indiana, a Protestant organization
of the Disciples of Christ, operated 3 schools of
nursing namely:
a. Sallie Long Read Memorial Hospital School of
Nursing (Laoag, Ilocos Norte, 1903)
b. Mary Chiles Hospital of Nursing (Manila,
1911)
c. Frank Dunn Memorial Hospital (Vigan, Ilocos
Sur, 1912)
7. SAN JUAN DE DIOS HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING
(Manila, 1913)
In 1913, through the initiative of Dr. Benito Valdez,
the Board of Inspectors and the Executive Board of
the Hospital passed a resolution to open a school of
nursing. The school is run by the Daughters of Charity
since then, Sister Taciana Trinanes was the first
Directress of the school.
8. EMMANUEL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURISNG (Capiz,
1913)
✓ The school offered a 3-year training course for an
annual fee of 100.00, Miss Clara Pedrosa was the
first Filipino Principal.
9. SOUTHERN ISLANDS HOSPITAL OF NURSING (Cebu,
1918)
✓ The hospital was established in 1911 under the
Bureau of Health. The School opened in 1918
with Anastacia Giron-Tupas, as the organizer.
Miss Visitacion was the first Principal.
10. Other schools of Nursing established were as follows:
a. Zamboanga General Hospital School of Nursing (1921)
b. Chinese General Hospital School of Nursing (1921)
c. Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing (1923)
d. Manila Sanitarium and Hospital School of Nursing (1930)
e. North General Hospital and School of Nursing (1946)
f. Siliman University School of Nursing (1947)
THE START OF NURSING PRACTICE (1911-1921)
✓ In 1919- the First Nurse’s Law was enacted
regulating the Practice of Nursing in the
Philippines (Act 2808). It also provided the
holding of examination for the practice of nursing
on the 2nd Monday of June and December of
each year.
✓ The first board exam for nurses was given in
1920 with 93 candidates. Among these 93
candidates, only 68 passed with the highest
rating of 93.5% in the person of Miss Anna
Dahlgren.
✓ There were 2 sets of examinations done-
Theoretical and practical exams. The theoretical
exams were held at the Amphitheatre of the
College of Medicine and the Practical Exams at
the PGH Library.
THE FIRST COLLEGES OF NURSING IN THE
PHILIPPINES
A. UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS COLLEGE OF NURSING
(1946)
✓ The college began as the UST School of Nursing
Education on February 11, 1941.
✓ The school was unique since it operated as a
separate entity from the Santo Tomas University
hospital.
✓ The course instruction was designed to conform
to the latest and most modern advances in
nursing science and education. At the same time,
the ideals of Christian Charity permeated this
course.
✓ In its first year of existence, its enrollees
consisted of students from different schools of
nursing who were interrupted by the war.
✓ In 1947, the Bureau of Private Schools permitted
UST to grant the title Graduate Nurse to the 21
students who were at the advanced standing.
From 1948 to the present, the college has
offered excellent education leading to the
Baccalaureate Degree (BSN)
B. MANILA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NURSING
(1947)
✓ Was the first to offered BSN course in 1947.
✓ It served the clinical field for practice with Miss
Consuelo Gimeno as its first Principal.
C. UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES COLLEGE OF NURSING
(1948)
✓ In April, 1948 , the University Council approved
the curriculum, and the Board recognized the
profession as having equal standing as medicine,
law, engineering with Miss Sotejo as its first
Dean.
Nursing Leaders in the Philippines
Anastacia Giron-Tupaso First Filipino nurse to hold the
position of Chief Nurse Superintendent;

✓ founder of the Philippine Nurses Association

Cesaria Tan

✓ First Filipino to receive Master’s degree in Nursing

abroad

Socorro Sirilan

✓ Pioneered in Hospital Social Service in San

Lazaro Hospital where she was the Chief Nurse

Rosa Militar

✓ A pioneer in school health education

Sor Ricarda Mendoza-

✓ a pioneer in nursing education

Conchita Ruiz-

✓ First full-time editor of the newly named PNA

magazine “The Filipino Nurse”.

Loreto Tupas –

✓ “Dean of the Philippine Nursing”; Florence

Nightingale of Iloilo