Mary Seacole's Impact Of The American Civil War On Nursing

The American Civil War directly and dramatically influenced nursing as we know it today. It was this war that caused the need for training nurses." (Rush 1992) There was so much devastation on all sides, and so many wounded soldiers with so little help that military men called on women for support. (Black 2017). Women leaders arose who would change the image of nursing, and the way women were perceived, despite the skepticism of men that prevailed at that time. Such leaders as Dorothea Dix, who opened the way for women volunteers by training women to rise to the needs that the war inflicted. Her knowledge and brisk attitude began to break down the stereotypical view of women, which saved many lives and started changing the current of history.
(Black 2017). During her lifetime, she had a counterpart, Mary Seacole, that she never met that would also change race relations in the nursing of that day. Seacole was a black Briton who displayed a determination to participate in bringing relief from the devastation of the Crimean war. “Despite being rejected to work with Nightingale” (Black 2017), she continued her work on her own, and Seacole's service was soon to be known to compete with Nightingales. Mary Seacole’s contributions are taught today in nursing schools; many grateful students appreciate Seacole’s recognition that continues to encourage the African American woman of this day, despite the distorted world in which we live. Another historical event that influenced nursing was the Pandemic Flu outbreak of 1917. Because the response and effectiveness of trained women in the previous war conflicts were effective, there was not so much resistance met as before, and so qualified nurses led the way for public health nursing to emerge. Public health education became vital as the need arose in response to the widespread flu epidemic; nurses supplied that need. A trained group of nurses from the American Red Cross began a journey to slow the spread of the flu in the
A great deal of the success of the war goes to Clara Barton, a nurse leader in her day; another voice needed to pave the way for the nursing change. Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, whose strategic planning and compassion on the battlefield, played a crucial role in preventing many deaths among soldiers, and is still the Red Cross’s mission today; to respond to disaster and tragedy with compassion and stratagem. The evolution of nursing originated out of necessity. Disease and devastation became the catalysts that women nurses used to pave the way for the necessary changes that gave wings to nurses today. Other factors that led to changes in nursing. “The start of university education for nurses. Because many nurses trained, and hospitals made room for training nurses, there was a need for Superintendents to improve the organization of the training of the leaders.” (Rush, 1992). “Shortages, are other motivations that give rise to nursing school growth. The AND, BSN, Therapist and PA’s.” (Black, 2017 p.48). So many other influences that can be mentioned that brought an evolutional shift in nursing practice, the emergence of HIV/AIDS. Changes had to be made in infection control, and so concern gave