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How does knowledge of the foundations and history of nursing provide a context in which to understand current practice?
In order to comprehend the art of nursing one must appreciate and have knowledge of the nursing foundation and historical events that have evolved over time to understand and apply to their current practice. The article Nursing History, Theory and Conceptual Models states that before Florence Nightingale, nurses were the “sinners, saints, or mothers.” The women that were nurses’ from the beginning of time were women that were either religious leaders or more commonly had a disgraceful reputation to society and over the years nursing has evolved to a highly respectable profession. I remember learning the historical events and the history of nursing before learning anything else in my first nursing class. In order to move forward sometimes you must step back and take a closer look to understand things clearer.
Identify at least three trends in nursing practice from the
"Nursing Timeline of Historical Events" media piece.
1. One trend in nursing would be Florence Nightingale’s dedication to improve healthcare sanitation and hygiene which has saved so many lives and continues to be pursued to the modern day of nursing. The Nursing Timeline of History piece discusses how her development and advancement to enhance nurses’ education contributed to the “establishment of measures to analyze disease and mortality rates using statistical measures.” Through evidence based research she was able to distinguish set patterns and change treatment and nursing practice to save lives. Over several decades, health hygiene and infection control is still an important and serious issue with patient care. Hand washing and proper cleanliness has led to a decreased mortality rate then and even to the current day.
2. Dorothea Lynde Dix was a woman in the nineteenth

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