Christianity and the Early Development of Nursing

Pre-Nightingale Development of Nursing

• One of the earliest records of Christian nursing is the Order of Deaconesses, similar to modern public health or visiting nurses.
• Christianity taught that men and women are equal before God, leading to men and women holding the role of nurse.
• The entry of women into nursing can be traced back to AD 300, due to improvements in the social position of Roman women.
• The Benedictine Order, comprising men, was founded in the 6th century, increasing the number of women in nursing.
• During the Middle Ages, the Crusades stimulated the expansion of nursing and healthcare, leading to the formation of military nursing orders for men and the establishment of hospitals.
• The growth of cities in the 15th to 17th centuries led to health problems, prompting the founding of the Sisters of Charity in 1633 by St. Vincent de Paul.
• In the 18th century, cities in Europe continued to grow, leading to an increase in hospitals and nursing roles.

The Florence Nightingale Era (1820-1910)

• Florence Nightingale went to study with the Sisters of Charity in 1853 and was later appointed superintendent of the English General Hospitals in Turkey.
• She instituted major reforms in hygiene, sanitation, and nursing practice, reducing the mortality rate at the Barracks Hospital in Sentari, Turkey from 42.7% to 2.2% in 6 months.
• Florence Nightingale was a proficient bedside nurse with a great concern for her patients, earning her the title "The Lady with the Lamp".
• Organised nursing began in the mid-1800s under her leadership, transitioning from care provided by unfit individuals to a professional practice.
• Florence Nightingale's beliefs about nursing form the foundation of modern nursing practice, influenced by her religious convictions and experience in the Crimean War.
• She was a well-educated and skilled communicator, able to deal with government and politics, and possessed qualities of an epidemiologist, statistician, researcher, and politician.
• Florence Nightingale's philosophy of nursing practice reflected the changing needs of society, focusing on the role of nursing in maintaining health and preventing disease.