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Exploring history of nursing was a great reminder of how far the profession has progressed. Nursing is a profession and one of the oldest. Today, within the healthcare industry, nurses are one of the most trusted professionals. This paper will discuss the history of two essential people Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix and how they contributed to the foundation of nursing. Learning from both of them and their positive examples made an impact on nurses today. Also, this paper will discuss two nursing organizations that support the profession, American Nurses Association (ANA), and National League for Nursing (NLN).
Nursing Contributions of Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix
Clara Barton was born in Oxford, Massachusetts on December 25, 1821. She was given the birth name Clarrisa Harlowe Barton. She had two sisters and two brothers; she was the youngest of all the siblings. Living and growing up on a farm, they learned the true meaning of hard work. When Clara was eleven years old, one of her brothers, David had fallen of a roof and became very ill. Doctors did not have much hope for his recovery. Clara took care of David for nearly two years; he eventually recovered. During this time, Clara learned the enjoyment of caring for the sick. Clara began working as a schoolteacher at the young age of seventeen. In 1853, Clara opened a school on her own located in New Jersey. Eventually, she relocated to Washington, D.C. and worked for the patent office. This was the first time a woman had obtained a government job making the same money as a man (Granados, 2018).
However, she left her position to volunteer at the start of the Civil War. Essential supplies were limited and needed to get to the front lines. According to Fontaine, et al (2017), Clara organized and began to ask for contributions of first-aid supplies, blankets, tobacco, and whiskey to the soldiers needed. During the Civil War, she would travel to multiple battlefields to assist in the care of the soldiers. This is how and when she was given the title as the “Angel of the battlefield.” When the war ended, Clara visited Europe and was introduced to an organization called the International Red Cross that helped injured soldiers during the war. After three years, she returned to the United States and actively worked on lobbying to bringing an organization to America. The American Red Cross was founded by Clara on May 22 1881. She served as president for more than two decades. Clara never had children and never married. The soldiers she considered her family. Clara Barton was a self -taught nurse that impacted many soldiers with her medical care and support. Clara died on April 12, 1912.
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Dorothea Dix was born on April 4, 1802 in the town Hampden, Maine. She was the oldest of the three children. Dorothea was the primary caregiver for her siblings as her mother was bedridden and had depression. At the age of twelve, she moved to live with her grandmother. Dorothea was intelligent, loved books and education. At age 14, she found a job as a teacher and also started writing children books. In her thirties, she began teaching Sunday school at a women’s correctional center. It was here she witnessed the horrific treatment of those, especially ones with mental illness. With what she saw, this is where she found her calling in life to help the mentally challenged.
According to Squillace (2019) in 1846, she presented a report on the Morgan County poorhouse conditions and inadequate treatment of the mentally ill. With that report, the citizens and the county responded to improve the conditions at the poorhouse. According to Biswas, (2017) Dorothea started to keep record and reports of jails and local shelter that had appalling conditions. These reports were submitted to local newspapers. Also, she lobbied for state legislation to make needed corrections and changes. As a result, with her crusade and fight to establish human facilities for the mentally ill there were over 100 new facilities built all over the United States. When the Civil War broke out, and she became the Superintendent of the Army Nurses for the Union-recruiting, organizing, and training women nurses. She continued her work for the mentally ill even after the end of the war. Her contributions are evident today in the care and treatment of the mentally ill. Dorothea Dix died July 17, 1887
Professional Nursing Organizations
Have you ever thought about a membership to a professional nursing association or organization? There are many reasons to join, professionally, and personally. It is time to think about joining one if not two. One to start would be a national association like the ANA. The ANA was founded in 1896 and formerly was known as the American Associated Alumna. In 1911, the name was changed to what we now know as the ANA. This is a professional organization to advocate and secure the safety of all registered nurses and nursing students throughout the United States.
The benefits do vary state by state; all include representation on critical issues in the statehouse. Within the ANA, nurses have opportunities to advance their careers by attending free webinars, earn continuing education credits at a discounted rate, and search for potential employment. As a member, the ANA has partnered with businesses that provide services with substantial savings for the nurse to take advantage. Also, nurses can be in contact with other colleagues and have your voice heard. There are more than 13,000 members. Joint membership of ANA-Illinois and ANA cost $174 a year. Currently, their focus is turning grief into action regarding gun violence after the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
Another organization for nurses is the NLN. Founded in 1893, the NLN was the first nursing organization in the United States. There are 40,000 individual and 1200 institutional members and is led by elected governors for three-year terms. The mission statement promotes building a strong and diverse nursing community for health benefit all over the world. In addition, the mission statement is supported by four core values- caring, diversity integrity, and excellence. There are three levels of membership all are individual and annual, full is $155, graduate student is $80 and retired cost $100. Membership offers opportunities for professional growth, access to peer-reviewed research journals, and special rates for professional development activities. Currently, NLN their focus is on nursing education and practice and offering courses on safe and quality health care.
Being a member of a professional organization, the nurse is active and informed of nursing trends, legislation proposals, and advances in technology. Members have the opportunity to network with peers, advance their knowledge through offered continuing education classes. Participating in such organizations helps broaden the skills you already have.
Conclusion
To summarize, reviewing the history of nursing aids us understand where nurses started and how, with time the profession has grown and evolved. There have been many nursing pioneers that have made a difference in nursing today and the future. As the founder of the American Red Cross, Clara remains to impact many people experiencing crisis today. Dorothea Dix implemented change for people that could not help or advocate for themselves. As nursing has changed and the demands on the nursing profession have increased having support from professional organizations has been critical for movement at the local, state, and national level. Being part of an organization not only has educational and financial benefits, most importantly there is a sense of family. Nurses are influential and participating in an organization can transform healthcare.
