1. Nursing Evolution
Latoya Donaldson
To understand the evolutionary process we must first
understand what nursing was and where it came from.
With this in mind, my main goal is to look at the evolution
of nursing while paying special attention to the
Professional, occupational and academic disciplinary
aspects of this field.
The University of the
Southern Caribbean
Royal Road, Maracas
St Joseph, Trinidad
Lecturer: Mrs. Archer
10/10/2013

2. Introduction
The Nursing profession has developed throughout history, seeing a transformation in practice,
types of caregivers, roles and policy changes, but nursing remains an act of caring and service to
those in need. (ANA, 2013). To understand the evolutionary process we must first understand
what nursing was and where it came from. With this in mind, my main goal is to look at the
evolution of nursing while paying special attention to the Professional, occupational and
academic disciplinary aspects of this field.
Nursing as a profession
A profession is defined as a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and
a formal qualification. (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010). With the initiation of a number of human
rights movement and endless information in vast circulation the way in which the society views
he rights of its members has evolved with time. A consumer with the rights to quality care and
protection and now patients are no longer called such but are now seen as clients. However
because of this nurses are now having the professional responsibility of being advocates for the
patient. In an attempt to fulfill their professional responsibility nurses seek to administer care in a
conscientious and knowledgeable manner in benefit of themselves and others, (Potter & Perry,
2009).
Due to the advancement of medical research and technology a professional outlook has to be
maintained. “Nurses today have to keep up with a lot more technology than their predecessors,
not only do professional nurses have to provide basic skilled nursing care they also have to learn
to work with many types of equipment that are specific to their area of expertise”. In the global
industry computers are now a common way to document cares and requires training for that as
well (Stine.D, 2010).
Modern day nursing has been characterized as a profession based on a number of primary
characteristics. In 2004 the American Nurses Association completely updated the scope of
nursing and standards of practice which is an essential part of the nursing profession. This body
requires Nurses to attain pre-set standards before allowing persons to practice. It also requires an
organized period of extensive study by its members in recognized institutions of higher learning
for acquiring theoretical and practical skills (Potter& Perry, 2009). Most importantly nursing has
developed a code of ethics that govern the development of the profession and its members.
(Erina, 2006). Ethicalnursing is the philosophical ideals of right and wrong that defines the
principles you will use to provide care to the clients (Potter& Perry, 2009). Although there are all
these principles of ethics are in place it’s a sad reality when nurses fail to exercise them when
nursing should be concerned with service to mankind. (Erina, 2006). Nursing is now functioning
on a scientific basis with its dedication being to solely improve the quality of life. According to
(Erina, 2006) economic and monetary gain should be secondary on the nursing professional
mind. However many speculates that this is not the case in modern day nursing since money and
1|Page

3. power almost always disrupts the natural functioning of things. Nonetheless nursing as a
profession has the responsibility to protect society from unscrupulous persons doing professional
practice. (Erina, 2006). The professional responsibility is also upon the nurses to obtain and
maintain specific skills and knowledge to carry out their professional duty. In the past the past
nurses provided a narrower scope of care and comfort but changes in nursing has expanded the
professional role of the nurse in that he or she has become autonomous. Nursing interventions
are now being made without orders from the medical team as the nurses are now more confident
and knowledgeable. However it should be noted that with autonomy comes greater
accountability and responsibility (Potter&Perry, 2006). In Contemporary nursing nurses are not
only required to be patients but also an educator. With the certification of health promotion,
nurses now seek by means of client education to reduce hospital stays and enhance life
expectancy. The manner in which the nurses communicated in the past with patients changed
drastically due to the realization that it is essential to have a nurse- patient relationship. This not
only builds the level of trust and respect between client and nurse but also aids in evaluation and
assessment (Potter&Perry, 2009). For years nursing was predominately thought of as a female
dominated profession but every year more males are getting in this noble profession. This shows
another area of evolution. The stigma that was attached to male nurses are no longer there. They
are as welcomed as the females in the clinical setting. Nursing is not only demanding physically
but mentally as well. Stress is a common aspect of nursing but the rewards gained greatly
outweigh the everyday difficulties that nurses face every day (Stine.D, 2010).
Transition from Education to an Academic Discipline
According to Taylor (2005), a nursing curriculum refers to planned learning experiences that an
educational institution intends to provide for its learners. In past times, nurses were not fully
trained and operated under the direct supervision of doctors and adopted the apprenticeship role.
In 1950, the Nursing Council was formed and shouldered the responsibility of registration,
education and discipline of nurses. This evolutionary milestone brought about a better way
forward because it made persons more qualified for the job and less dependent on the physician
(NIHERST, 2008).
According to McEwenand Willis (2010), Nursing is changing in response to the need and
resources of society as a whole. Healthcare delivery is in demand and the nurses responded by
becoming more educated I higher learning institutions and independent and autonomous. Nurses
were now broadening their scopes of thought and seeking now to develop numerous frame works
which were used as a guide to care. This achievement brought about a new level of higher
learning which had its pros and cons. Academic disciplines are distinctions between bodies of
knowledge found in academic settings. It is a branch of knowledge ordered through the theories
and methods evolving from more than one worldview of the phenomenon of concern. Nursing
knowledge base draws from many disciplines with grand theorist like Betty Neuman, basing her
work on the postulates of many other scholars. Nursing Theoretical framework has depended on
physiology, sociology, psychology and medicine to provide an academic foundation and an
2|Page

4. informed practice. With these advancements “ Nursing has become an art and a science that
requires a blend of the most current knowledge, practice standards along with an insightful and
humane approach to client care” (Potter&Perry, 2009).
Occupational Nursing
The Thesaurus dictionary defines occupation as an activity that serves as one’s regular source of
livelihood. History dictates that occupational nursing has taken many different faces over the
years as the job of nursing was perceived differently by or predecessors. However care has been
the one constant variable that nursing has been centered around. Treatment in the past was
carried out by physicians and general nursing care of the patients was in the hands of the women
in the household or of slaves. Christianity in those times was the major driving force behind
nursing care since it endorsed the fact the belief that it is the duty and privilege of the strong to
bear the burdens of the weak while ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of the poor and
sick (Becks &Polit, 2007).
In this time nursing as regarded as a form of religious devotion so because of this many women
in the rural community took up the occupational role as nurse and midwife not for financial gain
but heavenly rewards. No education was needed because they were selected on good character
and not educational status (Becks &Polit, 2007). Nurses were instructed to obey the physicians
and to whole heartedly serve patients (Erina, 2006). However the introduction of institutionalized
care nursing took place and nursing was no longer confined to churches and monasteries and the
home of midwives and community care givers. This marked the beginning of governmental and
legislative intervention. (NIHERST, 2008)
This brought about the genesis of Public Health Care, making way for a new scope of care.
During this period nursing transformed because the need for trained individuals was in demand
to manage the newly constructed Health Care Facilities. Delivered in an article to the Trinidad
and Tobago Registered nurses association Dr Quow stated that in the year 1982, it was the
government’s aim to make healthcare accessible to individual and families of the community by
acceptable means through their full participation and at a cost the community can afford.
Additionally it was now the government’s responsibility to meet the health needs of all persons
who now became dependent on the health care system. Being dependent up to this present time
has negatively affected nursing due to the desperate need for a large quantity rather than quality
nurses. However because of the institutionalization of nursing we were afforded the opportunity
to provide a more scientific and standardize method of nursing care through education.
(NIHERST, 2008).
Conclusion
Indeed it is a fact that nursing has evolved into a complex framework which takes this profession
to higher scopes. It is my greatest hope that the continuous development of nursing takes positive
strides in the direction of efficient and effective care. I am urging all the nurses to maintain a
3|Page

5. caring and professional demeanor while carrying out duties, ensuring that our noble profession
maintains the standard of practice.
4|Page

6. References
Education Encyclopedia, (2009), Academic Disciplines- Disciplines and the Structure of Higher
Education Discipline Classification Systems, Discipline Differences,
http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages
History and trends of nursing, Erina.E, 2006,
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medden/dlc/Documents/Eritrea.pdf
Mc Ewen.M, WillisM.E, 2010, Theoretical Basis for Nursing, (3rd Edition), Williams and
Wilkins.
NIHERST, 2008, Historical Highlights of nursing in Trinidad and Tobago, The Costatt Library.
Oxford Dictionaries, 2010, Profession. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com
Potter A. Patricia, Perry A. Griffin, Fundamentals of Nursing (7th Edition), Mosby Inc., Elsevier
Inc.
PolitF.D, PhD, & Beck T. C, 2007, Nursing Research Generating and Assessing Evidence for
Nursing Practice Hardbound, (8th Edition).
Stine D.,(2010), How Nursing has changed in the last 10
years,http://www.helium.com/items/1401706-how-has-nursing-changed
http://www.nursingworld.org/EspciallyForYou/What-is-Nursing
5|Page