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UNIT-ONE: INTRODUCTION TO NURSING CARE
Objectives: At the end of this unit the trainees will be able to:
1. Identify the history of nursing
2. Demonstrate nursing functions
3. Apply the nursing process

1.1 History of nursing
A. Early definitions of Nursing
A nurse is a person who “nourishes, cares for the sick, injured, and aged ones”.

B. Modern definition by theorists
1. Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
In 1859 she wrote and showed that “Nursing is an art and if it is to be made an art, it
requires as exclusive devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's
work, for what is having to do with the living body - the temple of God's spirit? It is one
of the Fine Arts; I had almost said the finest of the Fine Arts".

2. American Nursing Associations (ANA)
“Nursing is an art and science”. This means that a professional nurse learns to deliver
care artfully with compassion, caring, and respect for each client's dignity and person's
hood. As a science, nursing is based upon a body of knowledge that is always changing
with discoveries and innovations. When the nurse integrates the science with the art of
nursing into their practice, the quality of care provided to clients is at the level of
excellence that benefits a client in innumerable ways.

C. History of nursing in Ethiopia
Even though Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world, the introduction of modern
medicine was late. The health care of communities and families was by wogesha or
traditional healers. Modern nursing in Ethiopia started in the latter part of the 19th century
by Swedish Missionaries who came to Eritrea in 1866. Years later the nursing service was
extended to other parts of the country still by expatriate nurses from Sweden, Russia, and
France.
In 1908 Minilik ll hospital was established in the capital city of Ethiopia. The hospital
was equipped and staffed by Russians.
 In 1949 first Red Cross School of nursing at Yekatit 12 hospitals opened for females. The
training was given for three years.
 In 1951 prince Tsehay nursing school was opened.
 In 1951 the school of nursing at Nekemt opened.
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 In 1954 Hailesllasie 1 Public Health College was established in Gondar to train health
officers, community health nurses, and sanitarians.

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