Online Companion: Fundamentals of Nursing Standards and Practice 2E

Frequently Asked Questions

Historically, nursing has been viewed as a woman's profession. How has this influenced the role of nursing in society?

The societal role of nursing has paralleled the status of women in society in many respects. As women became better educated and more involved in the political world, nursing educational opportunities have increased, as has activism in shaping public policy for health care. In the 1800's, nursing was not considered a field for respectable women. Visionary women like Nightingale and Clara Barton challenged that view and demonstrated the value that nurses contribute during wartime and after.

Health care in America is changing rapidly. What direction will nursing take in the future?

Nurses are participating in directing the forces of change in health care. The concerns are that vulnerable populations are assured access to the health care system. The Healthy People initiative is a useful guideline to where priorities for health care resources should be directed. Nurses will have to advance their knowledge base and skills to continue to be partners in the health team.

Florence Nightingale is frequently mentioned as a nursing leader. What were her accomplishments?

Nightingale was the first to articulate that nursing's art is combined with science. Her experiences in battlefield hospitals made her aware that certain actions were helpful to ill and injured persons. She worked to develop education programs for people who wanted to be nurses. Her writings still ring true to nurses today: that nurses need a theoretical foundation to practice, that the environment has a role in promoting healing, that nursing is different from medicine. Did you know that other professionals, such as sanitation experts and hospital administrators also claim Nightingale as their historical leader?