History of Nursing (History of Nursing in the World)

Periods of Nursing History

1. Intuitive Period/ Primitive/Instinctive Period (Primitive times – 6th century)
2. Apprentice Period (6th Century – 18th Century)
3. Educative Period (18th Century – 20th Century)
4. 9Contemporary Period (21st century)

1. Intuitive Period/Medieval Period Prehistoric → Early Christian Era More

on intuition NOMADS - travel from one place to another Survival to the fittest
“best of the most” – motto
 Sickness is due to “voodoo”
 Performed out of feeling of compassion for others
Performed out of desire to help Performed out of wish to do good
 Nursing is given by the WOMEN
 SHAMAN - uses white magic to counteract the black magic. They are
the doctors during those time
 TREPHINING - drilling the skull Used to treat Psychotic patients.
Psychotic patients are believed to be possessed by evil spirits.

Growth of religion - most important thing that happened

Growth of civilization
Law of preservation – inspire man in search of knowledge

Rise in Civilization  From the mode of Nomadic life → agrarian society →

gradual development of urban community life  Existense of means of
communication  Start of scientific knowledge → more complex life →
increase in health problems → demand for more nurses
  Nursing as a duty of SLAVES and WIVES. NURSING DID NOT
CHANGE but there was progress in the practice of medicine.  Care of
the sick was still closely allied with superstitions, religion and magic

  Near East – birth place of 3 religious ideologist:  Judaism ,

Christianity  Mohammedism or Islam - Near East culture was adopted by
the Greeks and Romans combined with the wonders of the Far East by
returning crusaders and explorers improved and was carried to Europe
during the Renaissance Period that resulted to greater knowledge then to
the New World by the Early settlers. 
 New World – a tiny area known as a birth of monotheism that lies
between tigris and Euprates River in the Nile River arose the cultures of
babylonia, Egypt and Hebrew. 
 MONOTHEISM – believer of one God Different Civilization

BABYLONIANS
 CODE OF HAMMURABI 1st recording on the medical practice
 Established the medical fees
 Discouraged experimentation
 Specific doctor for each disease
 Right of patient to choose treatment between the use of charms,
medicine, or surgical procedure
EGYPTIANS
 ART OF EMBALMING Mummification
 Removing the internal organ of the dead body
 Instillation of herbs and salt to the dead
 Used to enhance their knowledge of the human anatomy. Since work was
done and performed on the dead, they learned nothing of Philosophy
 “THE 250 DISEASES” Documentation about 250 diseases and treatments

HEBREWS
 Teaching of MOSES - Created Leviticus, Father of sanitation, Practice
the value of “Hospitality to strangers” and the “Act of Charity” – contained
in the book of the old Testament
 Laws controlling the spread of communicable diseases
 Laws governing cleanliness
 Laws on preparation of food Purification of man and his food
 The ritual of CIRCUMCISION – on the 8th day after birth MOSAIC LAW
Meant to keep Hebrews pure so that they may enter the sanctuary without
affronting God Meant as a survival for health and hygienic reason only

CHINA
 Use of pharmacologic drugs
 “MATERIA MEDICA” Book that indicates the pharmacologoc drugs used
for treatment
 No knowledge on anatomy
 Use of wax to preserve the body of the dead
 Method of paper making
 FACTOR THAT HAMPERED THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICINE:
Prohibits dissecting of human body thus thwarting scientific study

INDIA
 SUSHURUTO 1st recording on the nursing practice
 Hampered by Taboos due to social strucures and practices of animal
worship
 Medicine men built hospitals
 Intuitive form of asepsis
 There was proficient practice of Medicine and surgery NURSES
QUALIFICATIOS; Lay Brothers, Priest Nurses, combination of
Pharmacist, Massers, PT, cooks
 There was also decline in Medical practice due to fall of buddhism – state
religion of India

GREECE
 AESCULAPUS Father of medicine in Greek mythology
 HIPPOCRATES Father of modern medicine - 1st to reject the idea that
diseases are caused by evil spirits, 1st to apply assessment , Practice
medical ethics
 CADUCEUS Insignia of medicine Composed of staff of travellers
interwinedwith 2 serpent (the symbol of Aesculapus and his healing
power). At the apex of the staff are two wings of hermes (Mercury) for
speed.
 NURSES → function of untrained slaves
ROMANS
 Proper turnover for the sick people
 “if you’re strong, you’re healthy” – motto
 Transition from Pagan to Christianity
 FABIOLA—was converted to Christian and later she converted her home
to a hospital and used her wealth for the sick. 1st hospital in the Christian
world

2. Apprentice Period/Middle ages 

 On-the-job training period
 Refers to a beginner (on-the-job training).
 It means care performed by people who are directed by more experienced
nurses 
 Starts from the founding of Religious Orders in the 6th century (1836 –
when the deaconesses School of Nursing was established in Kaiserweith,
Germany by Pastor THEODORE FLEIDNER) 
 There was a struggle for religious, political, and economic power
  Crusades took place in order to gain religious, political, and economic
power or for adventure 
 During th Crusade in this period, it happened as an attempt to recapture
the Holy Land from the Turk who obtained and gain control of the region
as a result of power stuggle. Christians were divided due to several
religious war and Christians were denied visit to The Holy Sepulcher.
 Military Religious Orders and their Works
 KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM (ITALIAN) - Also called as
“Knights of the Hospitalers”  Established to give care TEUTONIC
KIGHTS (GERMAN)  Took subsequent wars in the Holy Land 
 Cared for the injured and established hospitals in the military camps
KNIGHTS OF ST. LAZARUS - Care for those who suffered Leprosy,
syphilis, and chronic skin diseases
 (Alexian Brothers School of Nursing)  ALEXIAN BROTHERS  A
monasteric order founded in 1348. They established the Alexian Brothers
School of Nursing, the largest school under religious auspices exclusively
in US and it closed down in 1969. 
 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL  LOUISE de GRAS


 The Dark Period of Nursing  From 17th century – 19th century 
 Also called the Period of Reformation until the American Civil War 
Hospitals were closed  Nursing were the works of the least desirable
people (criminals, prostitutes, drunkards, slaves,and opportunists) 
Nurses were uneducated, fithy, harsh, ill-fed, overworked  Mass exodus
for nurses
 Martin Luther - The American civil war was led by Martin Luther, the
war was a religious upheaval that resulted to the destruction in the unity of
Christians.  The conflict swept everything connected to Roman
Catholicism in schools, orphanages, and hospitals
 (Theodore Fliedner)  THEODORE FLIEDNER  (a pastor)
reconstituted the deaconesses and later be established the School of
 Nursing at Kaiserswerth, Germany where Florence Nightingale had her
1st formal training for 3 months as nurse 
 FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE  Practiced her profession during the
Crimena War  “Lady with a lamp”  -From a well-known family  Went
to Germany to study.

3. Educative Period/Nightingale Era (Florence Nightingale School of

Nursing ) 
 Began in June 15, 1860 when Florence Nightingale School of Nursing
opened at St. Thomas Hospital in London England, where 1st program for
formal education of Nurses began and contributed growth of Nursing in
the US 
 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED DEVELOPMENT OF NURSING
EDUCATION:  Social forces , Trends resulting from war 
Emancipation of women,  Increased educational opportunities
  Florence Nightingale - Mother of modern Nursing,  Lady with
the Lamp 
 Born on May 12, 1820 in Florence, Italy  Her SELF-APPOINTED
GOAL – to change the profile of Nursing 
 She complied notes of her visit to hospitals, her observations of
sanitation practices and entered Deaconessess School of Nursing at
Kaiserswerth Germany for 3 months.
 Became the Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentle Women
during the illness (refers to the ill governess or instructors of Nursing)  She
disapproved restriction on admission of patient and considered this
unchristian and contrary to health care. 
 Upgraded the practice of Nursing and made Nursing a honorable
profession 
 Led other nurses in taking care of the wounded and sick soldiers
during the Crimean War 
 She was designated as Superintendent of the Female Establishment
of English General Hospital in Turkey during the Crimean War 
 She reduced the casualties of war by 42% - 2% thru her effort by
improving the practice of sanitation techniques and procedure in the military
barracks 
 THE CONCEPT OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE ON NURSING
SCHOOL:  School of Nursing should be self – supporting not subject to the
whimps of the Hospital.  Have decent living quarters for students and pay
Nurse instructors  Correlate theories to practice  Support Nursing research
and promote continuing education for nurses  Introduce teaching knowledge
that disease could be eliminated by cleanliness and sanitation and Florence
Nightingale likewise did not believed in the GermTheory of Bacteriology. 
Opposed central registry of nurses  Wrote Notes on hursing, “What is ang
What it is not.”  Wrote notes on hospitals

OTHER SCHOOLS OF NURSING 

LINDA RICHARDS – the first graduate nurse in United States Graduated in
September 1, 1873 
 2 NUSING ASSOCIATION / ORGANIZATION THAT UPGRADED
NURSING PRACTICE IN US:  American Nurses Association,  National
League for Nursing Education

Contemporary Period  World War II – present  This refers to the period

after World War I and the changes and ddevelopment in the trends and
practice of Nursing occuring since 1945 after World War II.  Includes
scientific and technological development, social changes occuring after the
war. 
 Nursing offered in College and Universities 
 DEVELOPMENT AND TRENDS: 
 W.H.O established by U.N to fight diseases by providing health
information, proper nutrition, living standards, environmental
conditions.
  The use of Atomic energy for diagnosis and treatment. 
 Space Medicine and Aerospace Nursing 
 Medical equipment and machines for diagnosis and treatment
 Health related laws 
 Primary Health Care – Nurses involvement in CHN
 Utilization of computers 
 Technolgy advances such as development of disposable equipment and
suplies that relieved the tedious task of Nurses. 
 Development of the expanded role of Nurses
 FACTORS AFFECTING NURSING TODAY:  Economics  Consumer’s
demand  Family structure  Information and Telecommunications 
Legislations History of Nursing in the Philippines 

HISTORY OF NURSING IN THE PHILIPPINES

 EARLY BELIEFS AND PRACTICES  Beliefs about Causation of
diseases: 
 Caused or inflicted by other person (enemy or witch) 
 Evil spirits  Beliefs that evil spirits could be driven off by person with
powers to expel bad spirits: 
 Believed in Gods of Healing 
 Word doctors – priest physicians
 HERBULARIOS – herb doctors
 EARLY CARE FOR THE SICK 
 HERBICHEROS – herbmen who practice witchcraft 
 MANGKUKULAM / MANGANGAWAY – a person suffering from disease
without any identified cause and were believed bewitched by such 
Difficult child birth and some diseases attributed to (NONO) midwives 
Difficult child birth, witches were supposed to be the cause, gunpowder
exploded from a bamboo pole close to the head of the mother to drive evil
spirits

EARLY HOSPITALS: Hospital Real de Manila – 1577  1st hospital

established  Gov. Francisco de Sande  To give service to the king’s
Spaniard soldiers
 San Lazaro Hospital – 1578  Fray Juan Clemente  Named after the
Knights of St. Lazarus  Hospital for the lepers
 Hospital de Indios – 1586  Franciscan Orders  Hospital for the poor
Filipino people
 Hospital de Aguas Santas - 1590  Fray Juan Bautista  Named after its
location (near spring) because people believed that spring has a healing
power.
 San Juan de Dios Hospital – 1596  For poor people  Located at Roxas
Boulevard

PERSONAGES
 Dona Hilaria de Aguinaldo  1st wife of Emilio Aguinaldo  Established
Philippine Red Cross – February, 17 1899
 Dona Maria Agoncillo de Aguinaldo  2nd wife of Emilio Aguinaldo  1st
president of Philippine Red Cross (Batangas Chapter)
 Josephine Bracken Helped Rizal in treating sick people
 Melchora Aquino  Took care of the wounded Katipuneros
 Rose Sevilla de Alvaro – converted their house into quanters for Filipino
soldiers during the Phil-American War in 1899.
 Captain Salomen – a revolutionary leader in Nueva Ecija provided nursing
care to the wounded when not in combat.
 Agueda Kahabagan – revolutionary leader in Laguna also provided
nursing services to her troops.
 Trinidad Tecson (Ina ng Biak na Bato) – stayed in the hospital at Biac na
Bato to care for the wounded soldiers.

 Anastacia Giron Tupas  Founder of Filipino Nurses Association –

established on October 15, 1922  1st Filipino chief nurse of PGH  1st
Filipino Superintendent of Nurses in the Philippines
 Cesaria Tan  1st Filipino to receive Masteral Degree in Nursing abroad
 Socorro Sirilan  Pioneer in social service at San Lazaro Hospital  Also
the Chief Nurse
 Rosario Montemayor Delgado  1st president of Filipino Nurses
Association
 Socorro Diaz  1st editor of PNA magaziine called, “The Message”
 Conchita Ruiz  Full time editor of the PNA newly named magazine, “The
Filipino Nurse”
 Sor Ricarda Mendoza  Pinoneer in Nursing Education
 Loreto Tupaz  “Dean of the Philippine Nursing”  Florence of Iloilo
 Magdalena Valenzuela - First Filipino Industrial nurse
 Annie Sand - Founded the National League of Philippine Government
Nurses
 Col. Elvegia Mendoza - First Female Military nurse
 Dr. Julita Sotejo - considered as the “Florence Nightingale of the
Philippines, founder and first Dean of the University of the Philippines
College of Nursing, author of Code of Ethics for Nurses, chairman of
committee on Legal Aspect of Nursing which created the 1 st Philippine
Nursing Law also known as the Republic Act No.877 s.1953
EARLY NURSING SCHOOLS 
 Iloilo Mission Hospital School of Nursing  Established in 1906 under the
supervision of Rose Nicolet (American)  Nursing course – 3 years 
Produced 1st batch of nursing graduates in 1909 – 22 nurses  1st
TRAINED NURSES - Nicasia Cada - Felipa dela Pena - Dorotea Caldito
 April 1946 – 1st nursing board exam at Iloilo Mission Hospital
  Mary Johnson School of Nursing
  PGH School of Nursing – 1907

 Hospitals and School of Nursing

 1. Ilo-ilo Mission Hospital School of Nursing (Ilo-ilo City, 1906)  Ran by
the baptist forreign mission society of America.  Miss Rose Nicolet,
graduate of New England. Hospital for women and children. In Boston,
Masachusetts was the first superintendent for nurses. It moved to its
present location in Garo road, Ilo-ilo city 1929.  Miss Flora Ernst, an
American nurse, took charge of the school in 1942.
 2. St. Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing (Manila, 1907)  The hospital
was established by the Archbishop of Manila, the most Reverend,
Jeremiah harty under the supervision of the sisters of St. Paul the
charters.  Located in the Intramuros, and it provided general hospital
services.
1908 – operated its training school for nurses with Rev. Mother Melanie as
superintendent and Miss E Chambers as principal.
 3. Philippine General Hospital School of Nursing (1907)  Anastacia
Giron Tupas – first Filipino nurse to occupy the position of chief nurse and
superintendent.
 4. St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing (Quezon city, 1907)  1907 – the
school opened with three Filipino girls admitted. These girls had their first
year in combined classes with the PGH Hospital School of Nursing and
St. Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing.  Vitaliana Beltran was the first
Filipino superintendent of nurse.

First Colleges of Nursing in the Philippines 

1. University of Santo Tomas College of Nursing  February 11, 1941 – the
college began as the UST school of nurisng education  Sor Taciana
Trinanes was its first Directress.
2. Manila Central University College of Nursing  In 1947, offered the BSN
course  Miss Consuelo Gimeno was its first principal. 
3. University of the Philippines College of Nursing  The idea of opening the
college began in conference between Miss Julita Soteja and the UP
President Gonzales  In 1948, the university council approved the
curriculum, and the board of regents recognized the profession as having
equal standing as medicine, law, engineering, etc.  Miss Julita Sotejo was
its first dean.

In a glance
College of Nursing

UST College of Nursing – 1st College of Nursing in the Phils: 1877

MCU College of Nursing – June 1947 (1st College who offered BSN – 4 year
program)
UP College of Nursing – June 1948
FEU Institute of Nursing – June 1955
UE College of Nursing – Oct 1958

1909 - 3 female graduated as “qualified medical-surgical nurses”

1919 - The 1st Nurses Law (Act#2808) was enacted regulating the practice of
the nursing profession in the Philippines Islands. It also provided the holding
of exam for the practice of nursing on the 2nd Monday of June and December
of each year.

1920 - 1st board examination for nurses was conducted by the Board of
Examiners, 93 candidates took the exam, 68 passed with the highest rating of
93.5%-Anna Dahlgren
Theoretical exam was held at the UP Amphitheater of the College of Medicine
and Surgery. Practical exam at the PGH Library.

1921 - Philippine Nurses Association

Philippine Nurses Association Building
Filipino Nurses Association was established (now PNA) as the National
Organization Of Filipino Nurses
PNA: 1st President – Rosario Delgado
Founder – Anastacia Giron-Tupas

1953
Republic Act 877, known as the “Nursing Practice Law” was approved.
Though it was not always considered as a profession, Nursing has already
been existing for centuries. Its significance of today will definitely not be
proven real if not because of its remarkable history. And now, the value of
Nursing has stood the test of time and is becoming more visible in the eyes of
many not only because of its past, but also due to its considerable
contribution in the society.