Historical Perspectives of Nursing and 
Health Care 
Hafiz M Irfan RN, BSN, MSPH
Contents 
• Introduction 
• Stages of Nursing 
History 
• Early Civilization 
• Ancient Cultures 
• Islam and 
Nursing 
• Christianity 
• Mughal period 
• Founder of Nursing 
• Nursing Leaders
Introductions 
• Nursing began as a desire to keep people 
healthy and to provide comfort and assurance 
to the sick. 
• Although the general goals of nursing have 
remained relatively the same over the 
centuries, ever-advancing science and the 
changing of society’s needs have deeply 
influenced the practice of nursing.
Stages of Nursing 
• Nursing from Ancient times to the 
nineteenth century 
Early Civilization 
Islam 
Christianity 
Middle Ages 
Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century
Early Civilization 
• Egyptian physicians are believed to have 
specialized in certain diseases (such as 
internal diseases, fractured bones, and 
wounds). They also hired women, later known 
as midwives, to assist with childbirth. These 
women were the first records nurses.
Early Civilization 
• Greece 
The Greeks believed in Apollo, the Greek 
god of healing and prayed to him for magic 
cures for their illness. 
400 B.C., the famous Greek physician 
Hippocrates believed that disease had natural, 
not magical, causes.
Early Civilization 
• Roman Empire 
After 300 B.C., early physicians built on 
the groundwork of their Egyptian and Greek 
predecessors. 
The Romans are best known for 
advances in the health of the public.
Early Civilization 
• India 
In ancient India, early hospitals were 
staffed by male nurses who were required to 
meet four qualifications: knowledge of the 
manner in which drugs should be prepared for 
administration, cleverness, devotedness to 
the patient, and purity of mind and body.
Islam and Nursing 
• Ethos of Health Care Service 
• 1st Muslim Nurse Rufaidah Bint Sa’ad 
• Holistic Approach to health care service 
• Nursing in Hospitals in 830
Mughal Period and Nursing 
• Maham a great lady served as a wet Nurse of 
King Akbar in Mughal Empire 
• She nursed during Wars in India and 
Afghanistan
Christianity 
• With the beginning of Christianity, nursing 
began to have a formal and more clearly 
defined role. 
• Led by the belief that love and caring for 
others were important, women made the first 
visits to sick people, male gave nursing care 
and buried the dead. 
• Nursing became a respected vocation.
Middle Ages 
• More hospitals were built. 
• Nurses delivered custodial care and depended 
on physicians for direction. 
• Nurse midwifery, as one of the oldest nursing 
roles, flourished. 
• Much nursing care was provided by monks 
and nuns, which was segregated by sex.
Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century 
• The extensive population growth in cities, the 
lack of hygiene and sanitation and the 
increasing poverty in urban centers resulted in 
serious health problem. 
• Society changed from one with a religious 
orientation to one that emphasized warfare, 
exploration, and expansion of knowledge.
Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century 
• Many monasteries and convents closed, 
leading to a tremendous shortage of 
people to care for the sick. 
• Women who had committed crimes were 
recruited into nursing in lieu of serving 
sentences. 
• The only acceptable nursing role was within 
a religious order where services were 
provided as part of Christianity charity.
The founder of Nursing 
• Period of Nightingale 
Florence Nightingale 
was born in 12 May 
1820 in a wealthy 
family;
The founder of Nursing 
• Nightingale-Education 
Her education included the mastery of several 
ancient and modern language, literature, 
philosophy, history, science, mathematics, 
religion, art and music.
The founder of Nursing 
• Formal Training 
she was determined to become a nurse since 
she believed she was “called by God to help 
others and to improve the well-being of 
mankind”; 
she visited Kaiserswerth and received nurse’s 
training at 1850 for three months;
The founder of Nursing 
• The lady with lamp 
the outbreak of the Crimean War gave 
Nightingale an opportunity for achievement; 
Nightingale and her nurses transformed the 
military hospitals by setting up diet kitchens, a 
laundry, recreation centers, and reading 
rooms, and organizing classes for orderlies;
The founder of Nursing 
• Period of Nightingale 
after the war, Nightingale established the 
Nightingale Training School for Nursed at St. 
Thomas’ hospital in London; the school served 
as a model for other training school; 
as the founder of modern nursing, Florence 
Nightingale established the first nursing 
philosophy based on health maintenance and 
restoration.
Nursing Leaders 
Clara Barton (1812-1956) 
• She was school 
teacher who 
volunteered as nurse 
during American civil 
war. 
• Barton is noted for her 
role in establishing the 
American Red Cross.
Walt Whitman 
• Men served as 
nurses. One notable 
nurse during 
America Civil War 
(1861-73) was Walt 
Whitman. 
• He was a poet and 
writer who served as 
Hospital Nurse in 
Washington.
Nursing Leaders 
Lillian Wald (1867-1940): 
• Is considered the 
founder of public health 
nursing. 
• She offer trained 
nursing services to the 
poor.
Nursing Leaders 
Liviana Dock (1858-1956) 
• Her campaigned for 
legislation to allow 
nurses rather than 
physicians to control 
their profession.
Nursing history

Nursing history

  • 1.
    Historical Perspectives ofNursing and Health Care Hafiz M Irfan RN, BSN, MSPH
  • 2.
    Contents • Introduction • Stages of Nursing History • Early Civilization • Ancient Cultures • Islam and Nursing • Christianity • Mughal period • Founder of Nursing • Nursing Leaders
  • 3.
    Introductions • Nursingbegan as a desire to keep people healthy and to provide comfort and assurance to the sick. • Although the general goals of nursing have remained relatively the same over the centuries, ever-advancing science and the changing of society’s needs have deeply influenced the practice of nursing.
  • 4.
    Stages of Nursing • Nursing from Ancient times to the nineteenth century Early Civilization Islam Christianity Middle Ages Fifteenth to Nineteenth Century
  • 5.
    Early Civilization •Egyptian physicians are believed to have specialized in certain diseases (such as internal diseases, fractured bones, and wounds). They also hired women, later known as midwives, to assist with childbirth. These women were the first records nurses.
  • 6.
    Early Civilization •Greece The Greeks believed in Apollo, the Greek god of healing and prayed to him for magic cures for their illness. 400 B.C., the famous Greek physician Hippocrates believed that disease had natural, not magical, causes.
  • 7.
    Early Civilization •Roman Empire After 300 B.C., early physicians built on the groundwork of their Egyptian and Greek predecessors. The Romans are best known for advances in the health of the public.
  • 8.
    Early Civilization •India In ancient India, early hospitals were staffed by male nurses who were required to meet four qualifications: knowledge of the manner in which drugs should be prepared for administration, cleverness, devotedness to the patient, and purity of mind and body.
  • 9.
    Islam and Nursing • Ethos of Health Care Service • 1st Muslim Nurse Rufaidah Bint Sa’ad • Holistic Approach to health care service • Nursing in Hospitals in 830
  • 10.
    Mughal Period andNursing • Maham a great lady served as a wet Nurse of King Akbar in Mughal Empire • She nursed during Wars in India and Afghanistan
  • 11.
    Christianity • Withthe beginning of Christianity, nursing began to have a formal and more clearly defined role. • Led by the belief that love and caring for others were important, women made the first visits to sick people, male gave nursing care and buried the dead. • Nursing became a respected vocation.
  • 12.
    Middle Ages •More hospitals were built. • Nurses delivered custodial care and depended on physicians for direction. • Nurse midwifery, as one of the oldest nursing roles, flourished. • Much nursing care was provided by monks and nuns, which was segregated by sex.
  • 13.
    Fifteenth to NineteenthCentury • The extensive population growth in cities, the lack of hygiene and sanitation and the increasing poverty in urban centers resulted in serious health problem. • Society changed from one with a religious orientation to one that emphasized warfare, exploration, and expansion of knowledge.
  • 14.
    Fifteenth to NineteenthCentury • Many monasteries and convents closed, leading to a tremendous shortage of people to care for the sick. • Women who had committed crimes were recruited into nursing in lieu of serving sentences. • The only acceptable nursing role was within a religious order where services were provided as part of Christianity charity.
  • 15.
    The founder ofNursing • Period of Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born in 12 May 1820 in a wealthy family;
  • 16.
    The founder ofNursing • Nightingale-Education Her education included the mastery of several ancient and modern language, literature, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, religion, art and music.
  • 17.
    The founder ofNursing • Formal Training she was determined to become a nurse since she believed she was “called by God to help others and to improve the well-being of mankind”; she visited Kaiserswerth and received nurse’s training at 1850 for three months;
  • 18.
    The founder ofNursing • The lady with lamp the outbreak of the Crimean War gave Nightingale an opportunity for achievement; Nightingale and her nurses transformed the military hospitals by setting up diet kitchens, a laundry, recreation centers, and reading rooms, and organizing classes for orderlies;
  • 19.
    The founder ofNursing • Period of Nightingale after the war, Nightingale established the Nightingale Training School for Nursed at St. Thomas’ hospital in London; the school served as a model for other training school; as the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale established the first nursing philosophy based on health maintenance and restoration.
  • 20.
    Nursing Leaders ClaraBarton (1812-1956) • She was school teacher who volunteered as nurse during American civil war. • Barton is noted for her role in establishing the American Red Cross.
  • 21.
    Walt Whitman •Men served as nurses. One notable nurse during America Civil War (1861-73) was Walt Whitman. • He was a poet and writer who served as Hospital Nurse in Washington.
  • 22.
    Nursing Leaders LillianWald (1867-1940): • Is considered the founder of public health nursing. • She offer trained nursing services to the poor.
  • 23.
    Nursing Leaders LivianaDock (1858-1956) • Her campaigned for legislation to allow nurses rather than physicians to control their profession.