Changes in Nursing from the 1990s to post 2022
When nursing began in the 1600s, it had nothing to do with formal medical training but rather, the mere willingness to take care of the sick. Nursing was more of a house chore that girls learned from their mothers. However, by the beginning of the 1990s, the profession had advanced significantly. Today, nursing has changed drastically in so many ways. From training, responsibilities, work setting, to culture. There are also many improvements, including better hospitals and personalized patient care, that has enhanced the quality of health care delivery.
Training
In the early 1990s, a new system, commonly known as “Project 2000” was introduced. The project shifted the training of nurses from hospitals into colleges and universities. Before this, nurses received their training from an apprenticeship system that attached the nurses to different hospital schools. Here they were taught basic skills like how to dress and communicate with the patients.
Today, nursing training is more focused on academic training. To become a nurse, one needs to achieve various specific qualifications. The profession also offers quite a wide variety of programs, specialties, degrees, which every student must complete and pass the certifications. As the health industry continues to advance, nurses will be expected to learn more to cater for the changing health care needs of the people.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of nurses used to be basic chores revolving around taking care of the physical needs of the patient. Nurses were viewed as helpers to the doctors. But with major changes in the field, particularly the introduction of the comprehensive training programs, nurses began being assigned more and extensive tasks beyond basic patient care. By the late 1990s, nurses were allowed to make more decisions regarding their patients, decisions that were initially reserved for the physicians. Today, nurses are well trained to handle even more complex medical tasks. Nursing is also now viewed as a respected medical profession, and more people are joining the field every day.
Work setting
In the early days, most nurses worked around homes or on the battlefields, helping the sick and injured. This continued until the introduction of the nursing programs in the 1990s that allowed nurses to work in hospitals as medical professionals. Today, nurses work in a wide range of medical environments including, hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, and nursing homes.
Culture
Throughout the 90s to the early 21st century, nursing was viewed as a female profession. It was also considered a rudimentary career that demanded long working schedules with low financial returns. Today, the culture has changed significantly. More males have and continue to join the nursing profession, and salaries have also been rising constantly over the years.
The major challenge facing nursing throughout history has been the periodic shortage of nurses. However, the profession has been able to adapt to the varying health care needs of the people. As the 21st century continues, the profession remains a respected profession attracting thousands of recruits each year to serve the changing health care needs of the society.
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