History of nursing

The emergence of nursing
Professional level nursing is a relatively young field. Historically, three overlapping lines of care can be distinguished.

The oldest lay care

People provided it themselves (self-care). Care could also be provided by family members or folk healers and midwives.

Charitable care

It developed in connection with Christianity. It was provided to individuals who could not provide for their own needs. They were poor, sick, orphans, physically handicapped, mentally handicapped. This care was and still is provided mainly by church organizations.

Organized medical care This type of care gradually transformed from charitable care. It can be dated from the end of the 19th century, when biomedical development was already taking place and the care provided to people began to have a truly therapeutic and rational character.

Nursing, like medicine, philosophy, etc., is and has been influenced by religious, cultural, social, economic and political factors. In particular, wartime periods and scientific discoveries in the field of medicine (anatomical findings, X-ray, drugs, antibiotics…) had an impact on the development of society, treatment and nursing.

Developmental stages of nursing

 * nursing care in prehistoric times
 * nursing care in ancient times
 * Middle Ages – Charitable nursing
 * 19th century – the emergence of modern nursing
 * modern nursing of the 20th century, the beginnings of institutionalized nursing education
 * the present, the future of nursing

related articles

 * History of nursing/Prehistoric times
 * History of nursing/Antiquity
 * Nursing in Ancient Egypt
 * Nursing in Ancient China
 * Nursing in Ancient India
 * Nursing in Ancient Greece
 * Nursing in Ancient Rome
 * History of Nursing/Middle Ages
 * Historical personalities in nursing from the Middle Ages
 * Care of the sick during medieval epidemics
 * Regular nursing
 * History of nursing/19. century