Historical Perspectives
Objectives
By the end of the lecture, students should be
able to:
• Explain European contributions to nursing
• Trace the history of nursing in Ghana
• Describe the educational programmes of
nursing in Ghana
Why Study The History of Nursing
• Guides the understanding of what we do
today
• Decide changes we need in our profession
History of Nursing
Primitive man
• Originated from primitive mother who cares
for ill members of her family
• Term nursing stems from a Latin word which
means nutrix or nutrio- to nourish
• Men and women were caring for their sick but
no documentation exit
History CONT’D
Ancient culture
• Ancient Egypt-obstetrics was left in the hands
of midwives-females
• Wet nurses on contract who breastfed infants
for 6mths
• Ancient Babylon- domestic servant or slave
job- nurses could be male or female
History CONT’D
Religious ceremonies
• Israel- purification rites; hygiene and sanitation
- 1st nurse is Deborah who left with Rebecca to
marry Isaac (Gen 24)
• India-Hindus practiced team concept (CharakaSamhita)
- Documents to show the use of surgical
instruments and diet in treating people
- Mostly males but women too
History CONT’D
• Greece- sick were nursed in temples
• China- Sick nursed in Hans Dynasty(260220BC)
• The first mention of a nurse was in China
Influence of Christianity
• Teaching of Christ had a profound influence on
nursing and medicine
• Both men and women dedicated to the church
and caring for the poor and infirm
• Nursing care were rendered with empathy and
understanding
• Deaconesses-visiting nurses
• Phoebe(55AD)- first deaconess and visiting
nurse
Influence CONT’D
Early Nursing Leaders
• Middle of the fourth century- noble roman
women
• Converted their spacious homes into hospice and
hospitals
• Marcella- home into convent
• Fabiolla- built first general hospital in
Rome(380AD)
• Paula- most learned woman of her time; several
hospital and gave nursing care
Influence CONT’D
Medieval /Middle Period
• Nursing was not formalized
• Practice by monks- infirmaries and clinic
setting within monasteries
• Secular orders developed when some
members did not like the nursing
• 3 military orders - Knights of St John, Teutonic
Knights and Knights of St Lazarus
Influence CONT’D
Reformation Period
• Roman hospitals were closed down and the
protestants hospital personnel fled to avoid
execution
• Shortage of people to care for the sick
• Women were recruited from all sources to
care for the sick-wayward to avoid jail
sentences(dark period of nursing)
Reformation Period CONT’D
• Nursing in Catholic countries saw less of these
• St Vincent de Paul organized society women to
assist in his community work
• Took over nursing in Europe and later Canada
and North America
Read and write on the following:
• John Howard, Elizabeth Fry, Theodore
Fliedner, Mother Mary Catherine McAuley
History of Nursing in Ghana
• The first medical workers were Doctors who
employed male orderlies to care for patients
• In 1899 first colonial nursing sister arrived in
Ghana
• Males were recruited with a few females
• Training was by apprenticeship
• As medical facilities expanded more centers
were opened
History CONT’D
• Curriculum was modified to suit the low
educational background of the recruits
• Subjects includes- anatomy and psysiology
• Medical and surgical nursing, hygiene and first
aid
• Lectures and demonstrations were done on
the ward
• After 3years they were awarded the Director
of Medical Service Award certificate
Levels of Nursing Education
Qualified Registered Nurses (QRN)
• Started by Miss Button
• It gain recognition in 1948
• 3 year programm
• Reqiurement - Middle school Leaving Cert.
• Age -18 and above
• Discontinued in 1968
Levels CONT’D
Enrolled Nursing
• It started in 1963
• Main aim was to relief the professional nurse of
duties which were non –skilled
• Nursing assistants but was abolished in 1968
• Maximum qualification was MSLC
• Duration was 18months but later changed to 2
years
• It was terminated in 982
Levels CONT’D
State Registered Nurse(SRN)
• It started in 1945 in Kumasi with 6 students
• In 1948 the school moved to Accra
• In 1955 a second school was built in Kumasi
• Duration was 3 ½ years• pre nursing 1 year (prelims)
• The old program ended in 1973
SRN CONT’D
• In 1970 a new curriculum was put in place
• Comprehensive nursing-community/hospital
• In 1989/90 it was reviewed to make way for a
competency based programme
• In 1993 it was revised-semester based
• 3 years duration-GCE/SSCE
• 18 and above
• Currently we have a 3 year diploma programme
Midwifery
• Started in 1928 in Korle-Bu and Kumasi
• More than 10 midwifery institutions in Ghana
• Including mission schools
• Entry requirement-MSLC
QRN-18mths
EN-2 years
SRN/RGN-12 months
CHN- 2 years
Registered Mental Health
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Started in 1957 –QRMN
In 1974 upgraded to RMN
1989/90 reviewed alongside the SRN
Entry requirement is GCE O ‘ level/ SSCE
Pantang, Ankaful and Cape Coast
Duration is 3 years and 18 month for SRN’s
Upgraded to Diploma now.
Public Health Nursing
• Started in 1952- health visitors
• Supervise general health and welfare of
infants
• Preventive care nurses
• Organized training started in 1962
• Upgraded to Diploma status
Community Health Nursing
• Started in 1960 at Tamale
• Aim is to train health personnel to assist the
public health nurses
• Duration was 2 years
• Requirement was MSLC/ SSCE with entry
exams
• It been upgraded to diploma now
Post Basic Courses
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Eye nursing
Critical
Perioperative care Nursing
Nurse anaesthesia
Nursing Tutorship
• Nursing tutorship diploma course was
established in University of Ghana in 1963
• 1988 in Cape Coast to prepare nurse
educators, supervisor and administrators
• Cape Cost has Master’s programm for tutors
with Diploma with long service
• The university of Ghana continued with a 2
year advance diploma for nurse educators and
administration till it was terminated
Graduate Programme
• It started in 1980- nurses and non nurses
• Bachelor of Arts and Science in Nursing
• It was 3 years for nurses and 4 years for non
nurses
• Non nurses takes the SRN/RGN exams to get
their linsence
Requirements
• GCE A level/SSCE, Diploma(B), mature
Post Graduate-MPHIL/MSC
• Started in 2000/2001 academic year
• Fist or 2nd upper degree to enter the prog.
• It offers- administration, education, child
health etc
Nurses and Midwives Council(NMC)
• It was form as a merger of the midwives board
and nurses board in 1970
• Administration
• Regulation of establishment of schools and
curricula
• Examinations and certification
• Training and education