Question
Assignment - Each student must post an initial posting of their own that is approximately 250 words and includes scholarly references to support the posting. One of the references can be from the texts or assigned readings. The other reference(s) must be an additional source that you have found that supports your posting. Scholarly, peer-reviewed articles meet this requirement. If the professor responds and asks you for clarification or a question- you must respond to the professor.Topic - Identify two social factors and trends that influenced the development of professional nursing in the United States. Be sure to cite your sources.Book -Black, B. (2020). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges (9th ed.). Elsevier Saunders. ISBN: 978- 0-323-55113-7.
Answer
Social Factors That Influence Professional Nursing
From the work of heroic figures such as Florence Nightingale in the 1800s to the current trends, the nursing profession has undergone tremendous shifts in science and medicine, influencing the discipline’s course of development and transition. The social factors influencing professional nursing include the historical notes of people like Nightingale, the American Civil War, and the establishment of professional associations, among others (Nunnery, 2019). During the Victorian era, the care of sick people was primarily done by women and men in religious circles. Nightingale just happened to be an aristocratic woman who got stifled by the privilege she experienced and decided to join the nursing program to gain knowledge that would help her take care of wounded British soldiers. The soldiers who participated in the Crimean War suffered horrible conditions inside the British Hospital in Scutari walls. Nightingale decided to take several untrained women to go and try to assist the wounded soldiers. In her career, she was an experienced observer and consequently made several publications and historical notes that contributed to the transition of professional nursing. Other notable figures, such as Mary Eliza and Lillian Wald, also contributed to establishing collegiate nursing schools that promoted the professional training of nurses and later advocated for licensure. Therefore, War and the contribution of nurses in the 19th century ignited the need for professional nursing (Ferrillo, 2020).
The other social factor contributing to the growth of the nursing profession is professional associations. The growth of professional associations influenced the nursing profession by identifying and addressing practice issues through several activities, such as setting health care standards, ensuring professional accountability, and creating a framework that measures patient outcomes. Further, professional associations promote nursing education and advanced practice – particularly paying close attention to the adoption of evidence-based practice – by helping the nurses gain knowledge and access relevant resources and databases (Black, 2019). These nursing associations, such as the American Nurses Association, International Council of Nurses, and the American Public Health Association, also issue certification and develop codes of ethics that guide nurses in decision-making when faced with an ethical dilemma. These are some of the factors that have contributed to the growth of professional nursing.