The Changing Context of Nursing

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The image of nursing is dynamic, changing from the late 1800’s to present, the images are made from individual’s perceptions by what is seen in the media, how education is taught in nursing and historical figures (Daly, Speedy, & Jackson, 2014). Historical figures mainly include Florence Nightingale and her, self-sacrifice and the nurses who transformed education (Fee & Garofalo, 2010, p. 1591; Allen, 2010, p. 35). Education has moved forward by the enhancing strategies of teaching student nurses to improve the image of nursing and gaining a tertiary education (ten Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodbol, 2014, p. 304). Media and film play a key role in the image of nursing (ten Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodbol, 2014, p. 298). Individual perceptions are developed from this medium to gain an image of what is expected of a nurse. These expectations that are developed result in many different public images and perceptions of the nurse as time goes on (ten Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodbol, 2014, p. 296).
Relate how the public's perception of nursing changed during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The image of nursing started with the Angels with pretty faces after artwork of nursing revealed that nursing was primarily revealed as a self-sacrificing occupation (Daly, Speedy, & Jackson, 2014, p. 56). This idea was recognised in the late 1800’s from the images of nurses caring for the sick and wounded. Films have been released to reinforce this idea such as The White Angel an older film based around Florence Nightingale’s sacrifice, of a life of higher class expectations to begin nursing school and caring for injured soldiers in the Crimean War (Dieterle, 1936).
As the early 1900’s passed other images of nursing were synthesised. The doctor’s handmaiden arose approxima...

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