Nursing During The Mid-Twentieth Century

During the mid-twentieth century American’s view of nurses was drastically changing according to Judd & Sitzman the authors of “A History of American Nursing: Trends and Eras.” Prior to this time period the job of a nurse was not something that was very valued. The women who chose this work were not looked upon as highly as they are today. Judd & Sitzman write that during this time “nurses were respected, revered, and deemed professionals; they were portrayed in recruitment posters.” Nursing was now a profession women could actually seek to do outside of the home that was not frowned upon. Nursing was now being viewed as a valued profession. The mere fact that there were recruitment posters being created and displayed proves this point.

The following is an analysis on two posters found on the website Women of World War II.

This first poster supports the theory of nursing becoming a profession that women could seek to do outside of the home. It solicits women to become nurses, to have an education that will last a lifetime. It shows that women could have a career outside of the home. A negative to this poster is that the images of the nurses do look rather glamorous. The job of a nurse during war times was definitely far from being glamorous. Showing this positive image of war time nurses probably would get more recruits that displaying a more realistic picture of nurses treating wounded soldiers during the war.

This next poster image for Army Nurse recruits again carries on the glamorous look characteristic of the time period. This poster supports the theory of nursing becoming a profession that was valued. The top of this poster displaying the words “You Are Needed Now” is a captivating almost desperate slogan to recruit nurses for the Army.

Nursing was now being viewed as a valued profession. There was also a growing need for nurses and women in general in the war. This is why recruitment posters like these were created. Both of these posters displayed a glamorous picture of a war time nurse. Posters like these were used by all sectors of the military forces. These images were used to capture the attention of young impressionable women and to fill the nursing shortage of military nurses.