History of Nursing &

Development of Nursing

Muzammil Ali
Objectives
▪ Summary of ancient cultures
▪ Site of Health Care in Ancient Cultures
▪ Islam and Nursing
▪ The founder of Nursing
▪ Historical Perspective
▪ Nursing in Mughal period
▪ Nursing Defined by different scholar
▪ Definition of Nursing by WHO
▪ Types of Nursing Educational Programs
 Historical Perspective
(Summary of ancient cultures)

INTRODUCTION

Ancient Egypt is considered as one of the earliest, longest-lasting and most

prominent civilization in history.

Ancient Egyptians overlapped between magic, religion, sin, pinishment and

the influence of supernatural in the events of daily life

Demons and Sins were assumed to bring diseases, sickness and disabilities
as way of punishment.
 CONT..
In ancient Egypt, health care professions such as physician or healers were usually priests who were
accountable for healing physical and psychological
diseases.

The priests acted as a link between humans and gods. They believed that people had to make the Gods
happy to have good health and peace of mind.

The embalmer is the one who prepares the mummies to keep the body after death without damage
because to improve their knowledge of anatomy comparing the anatomy of human bodies with that of
animal bodies as indicated in the most of their ancient texts’

Other fields with such as the pharmacist, bandagers, masseur and even amulet seller who was trained to
take the pulse
Medical treatment In ancient Egypt

• Ancient Egypt treatment includes leaves, grass and the bark of the willow
tree contain salicylic acid used to treat inflammatory disease, to alleviate
birth pains and reduce fever.
• Egyptian doctors could stitch up wounds, repair broken bones and
amputate infected limbs. The incision was dressed by mixture of raw meat,
linen, and swabs soaked with honey. At the beginning of the Late period
and early Ptolemaic period [656 BC–323 BC], the so-called healing statues
were appeared.
• Internal disorders were managed by using magic and amulets in this case
will be wider beside the invocations to gods who were considered to be
involved in both causing diseases and cure them.
Different title to Caregivers In Ancient Egypt

The Coffin Texts were developed in the first Intermediate Period [2134 BCE–2040 BCE] and composed of
the Pyramid Texts, which had been placed only in royal tombs/ pyramids) Also, for the first time the male
title xnm.ti ”male nurse“ was attested in the (CT) as a God's child or as priestly title.

Wet-nurse was augmented to “Dry nurse” was used for ordinary “The Royal Tutor “the one who
substitute mothers who can't use and to take care of the aged nurtured the God = the king”
provide care or feed their children
Site of Healthcare in Ancient
Cultures
• According to the Ottawa Charter, ‘Health Promotion’ is a
health strategy that aims to incorporate skills and community
development and to create supportive environments for
health, endeavors to build healthy public policy and looks at
re-orienting health services (WHO, 1986).
• Although it is commonly accepted that these basic concepts
of health promotion have been developed in the last two
decades, they have roots in ancient civilizations and in
particular in Greek antiquity.
As evident from medical and philosophical documents—especially of the sixth to fourth centuries B.C.
the ancient Greeks were the first to break with the metaphysical/supernatural conceptions of health and
disease that had so far dominated human societies (Edelstein, 1987).

The ancient Greeks’ apprehension of health and illness was based on the theory of the four ‘fluids’
(blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile) which was of great significance for Pythagorean philosophy
that dominated the pre-Socratic period (Temkin, 1995).
 Hippocratic
Pathogenic process, according to Hippocratics, is a result of the overturn of equilibrium and the
predominance of one of the four fluids that causes disease through the disruption of the equilibrium of
the four fluids

Hippocratics posited a natural theory of disease etiology and notes that the treatment of male
impotence.

Hippocratics recognized that some diseases were always present in a given population. They called
these diseases ‘endemic’, whereas other diseases, which were not always present but which occurred in
greater frequency at certain times, they called ‘epidemic’. Both terms are widely used today. Rosen
(1993)

Hippocrates' treatise About Wind, Water and Places is not only a text of great historical value but also a
groundbreaking achievement. Beneficence and nonmaleficence are age old requirements of
the Hippocratic Oath for health professionals to ‘do good’ and ‘do not harm’ (Racher, 2007).
 Greek History

Little is known of Greek medicine before the appearance of written texts in the
fifth century B.C. Greece as many other prehistoric countries possessed folk
healers, including priest healers and chief tribunes employing divination and
drugs.
Greek society at large drew heavily upon sacred healing. In Homer, Apollo
appears as the ‘God of healing’.
Once Asklepius was recognized as the God of medicine.
During the fourth and the third century the cult of Asclepius and the practice
of Hippocratic medicine spread, and by 200 B.C. every large town in Greece
had an Asklepieion.
 Roman Empire
After 300 BC they built them self with the work of Greece and Egyptian.
They advance their work more and known as best in public health.
Believe health can be restored by God.
Two classes Patricians (upper class) and Plebicians (Lower class).
Organized group and funded monasteries and hospitals.

India
They mostly hired male staff for work
They work on four major components knowledge, devotedness, cleverness and purity.
First civilizations were highly developed 1500 BC.
The first master’s degree course, two year postgraduate program was begun in 1960 at college of nursing
Delhi.
 Christianity
Women begin nursing as an expression of Christianity( Act of mercy)

Christianity brings the clear role of Nursing in modified way.

Women work in care of sick people and male contribute themselves in to

buried the dead people.

Fabiola started the first public hospital in Rome.

 Middle Ages
Established the first educational program to be affiliated with a religious
nursing order with care provided by monks and nuns.

More hospital were built and Nursing role became more prominent.

The Eastern Orthodox Church had established many hospitals in the middle
east.

Nursing care was controlled by catholic church.

Known as Dark Ages – intellectual progress nearly halted.
Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century

• The Eastern Orthodox Church had established many

hospitals in the middle east, but following the rise of Islam
from the 7th century.
• Increased in population in cites with lack of hygiene and
sanitation leads to severe health problems.
• Society changes were forming a great effect on health care
system
 Nursing in Mughal period
• Emperor Akbar went through many vicissitudes in his life and probably the
most cumbersome was the presence and activities of his wet-nurse or
foster mothers known in the Mughal world as ‘angas’.
• Maham Anaga was the governess of Emperor Akbar. As the word ‘Anaga’
means nurse.
• Maham Anga (died 1562) was the chief nurse of the Mughal emperor Akbar
from 1560 to 1562.
 Islam and Nursing
Islamic traditions include sympathy for and responsibility toward those in
need.

Rufaida Al- Aslamia introduced nursing in Muslim world 1’200 Years before.
Rufaida Al- Aslamia was recognized for her work in medical and social circle.

She was the first female Muslim Nurse.

She was among first people in Madinah to accept Islam. She contributed with
other ansar women to welcome Muhammad ( peace be upon him) on arrival in
Madinah.
Pre-Islamic and Islamic
Era (570–632 AD)
• Rufiada Al- Aslamia’s father, Saad Al- Aslami, was a
physician and mentor. She initially obtained clinical
experience from her father. Then deovoted herself to
nursing.
• she practiced her skills in field hospital in her tent
during many battles.
• When Saad Ibn Muaath was injured in the battle of
Al-Khandaq ( The Trench) , Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) ordered that he be placed and
treated in her tent.
• She focused on hygiene and stabilizing patients prior further more
invasive medical procedures.
• Rufaida led groups of volunteer nurses who went to battlefield
and treated the casualties. She participated in the battles of Badr,
Uhud, Khandaq, khaibar and others.
 The founder of Modern Nursing
• Florence Nightingale (May 12, 1820 - August 13, 1910)

• She was English reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing.

• Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of

nurses during the Crimean War , in which she organized care for wounded
soldiers at Constantinople.

• She became Icon of Victorian culture by giving nursing favorable reputation.

"The Lady with the Lamp”

• She is also referred as "The Lady with the Lamp”

• In 1860, she laid the foundation of professional
nursing with the establishment of her nursing
school at St Thomas' Hospital London. It was the first
secular nursing school in the world.
• Annual International Nurses Day is celebrated on her
birthday
Definition of Nursing by WHO

• Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of

individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or
well and in all settings. It includes the promotion of health, the
prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying
people.
Definition of nursing by
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 or its recovery (or to peaceful death)
that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary
strength, will or knowledge“

Definition of Nursing by Florence

Nightingale
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused
on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they
may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality
of life.
Nursing Defined by International
Council of Nursing:

• Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of

individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick
or well and in all settings.
• Nursing includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness,
and the care of ill, disabled and dying people.
 Definition of nursing by ANA (American
Nurses Association):

Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities,

prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through
the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of
individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.
Definition of nursing by
Dorothea Orem
The self-care deficit nursing theory is a grand nursing theory
that was developed between 1959 and 2001 by Dorothea
Orem. The theory is also referred to as the Orem's Model of
Nursing.

Definition of Nursing by Effie

Taylor
“The adaptation of the prescribed therapeutic and preventive
treatment for physical and psychological needs specific
person“.
 Types of Nursing Educational Programs

1 2 3 4 5 6

Nursing Diploma and Bachelor of science in Master of science in Family Nurses Midwifery program Doctor of nursing
associated degree in nursing (BSN) program nursing (MSN) practitioner (FNP) practice (DNP)
nursing (AND) program program program and Ph.D.
Resources
List the resources you used for your research:
• Source #1 Elhabashy, Sameh & Abdelgawad, Elshaimaa. (2019).
The History of Nursing Profession in Ancient Egyptian Society.
International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences. 11. 100174.
10.1016/j.ijans.2019.100174.
• Source #2 Frenk, Julio, Lincoln Chen, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Jordan
Cohen, Nigel Crisp, Timothy Evans, Harvey Fineberg, et al. (2010).
Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to
strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet
376(9756): 1923-1958.
• Source #3 Alligood MR, Tomey AM. Nursing Theorists and Their
Work. 6th ed. Mosby: Singapore; 2006. [Google Scholar]
TIME PERIOD 1946 (RAK College of Nursing, Delhi) to till date
Four Year BScN Program was initiated.
National level standardized curriculum for BScN.

1960 (CMC College of Nursing, Vellore) to-date

MScN
PhD in Nursing
 THANK YOU
‘A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.’ Lao-Tsu Chinese
Philosopher