The History of Nursing and Nurses of Long Ago

Medicine in ancient times was associated with magic and the supernatural, but it was in monastic hospitals that nursing as we know it really began. High standards of nursing were established by Florence Nightingale and continued to advance with the work of many other nursing pioneers.

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Medicine in ancient times was associated with magic and the supernatural, but it was within monastic hospitals that nursing as we know it today really began. With the Reformation, nursing became increasingly secularised, and was generally considered a low-status job until high standards of professional nursing were established by Florence Nightingale. Nursing continued to advance with the work of many other nursing pioneers and reformers, and their stories will continue to inspire the nurses of today and of the future.