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The Nursing Profession in the 1900's

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Submitted By jackieleem80
Words 1032
Pages 5
The Nursing profession has changed dramatically over the years. Being a Nurse in the 1900s as compared to being a nurse today is a lot different. Those people who wanted to become nurses had to get their

education from the hospital operating room; as compared today where Nursing students get high

quality education from Universities, Private Colleges, Community Colleges, Hospitals, and many other

different communities that offer nursing education. Nurses back then were also not able to use

advanced medical equipments since health care technology has advanced in many different aspect of

the nursing profession. Back in the 1900s, the duties and working environment of Nurses were much

different. They mainly performed work in the hospitals as superintendents and as private duty nurses.

They performed duties that nurses today have never attempted, like administering leeches and boiling

water to sanitize needles, sutures, and to keep equipment sanitary.

In the mid 1900s, Nurses had to sharpened their needles on an average of two days a week,

compare to now; needles are disposable and cannot be reused. The medical supplies back then are

limited and sometimes there are no supplies at all for nurses to take care of patients. Nurses back then

only earned about 50 cents per hour while working 10-12 hour shift on an average of 7 days a week.

While they were working; they were also on their training as a nursing student, which was the actual

training course that lasted 4-6 weeks and was learned in the hospital surgery room. They were

responsible to tasks similar to that of maids – dusting, scrubbing, and doing dishes. Most nurses

worked at patients homes as private-duty nurses, administering medications and enemas, bathing, and

tending to wounds and sores. Comparing the environment where nurses work now is somewhat

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