The history of nursing is long and winded. Nursing is best described as a profession that primarily focuses on providing care for patients, including diagnosing and treating health problems. Nurses also give advice on protective measures to take at home and follow up with them after they are discharged from the hospital or clinic.
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History of Nursing as a gendered career
Looking back at the history of nursing, you realize that nursing is a field that has been around since ancient times when women helped others give birth during difficult births. This was done in homes and eventually led to shifts in delivery taking place in hospitals. A change in the ratio of male and female nurses started to take place, leading the profession to focus solely on giving care to women.
Historically nursing has always been a gendered profession; predominantly female. Over time, one of the most significant developments in nursing has been gender equality. Approaches were taken to eliminate female domination and ensure that nurse-patient ratios were balanced. Until 1966, all nurses were required to be registered and given exams by The Royal College of Nursing (RCN). A change in the law made it so the General Councils could regulate nurses. The Nursing and Midwifery Order of 1989 was the first to have a division between the two aspects of nursing.
The Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) was renamed The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in 2002, which led to increased regulation of all nurses and midwives. In 2005, there was a sharp rise in nurse numbers caused by nurses leaving the profession after new changes were made to the working conditions. These changes included increased flexibility and increased nurse workload. In the past, nurses would work for a set number of hours and could be paid by the hour but not by the piece. Now, nurses are paid on a system in which they are given a rate per hour worked.
In 2008, the number of registered nurses fell below two million people. It is expected that this will drop further to one million by 2012, when the government is considering removing compulsory training for all registered nursing apprentices.
Nursing as we know it today
Nurses are helping people heal and live healthier lives in more ways than ever. Whether it is by preventing health problems, providing the proper care at the Right Time, or working to find cures for diseases like cancer, nurses are on the front lines of health care. And as our population ages—life expectancy has increased from 65 to 86—nurses will be needed more than ever before.