The Social and Ethical Significance of Nursing

The Meaning of Holism in Nursing: Historical Shifts in Holistic Nursing Ideas

“…Their professional aspirations were guided by a desire for self-direction and selfregulation, rather than by Victorian obedience (Baer, 1985). Leaders such as Isabel Hampton, Adelaide Nutting, Annie W. Goodrich, Lillian Wald and Lavinia Dock all were fascinated by the opportunities of the new public health movement and preventive medicine (Allen, 1991b;Goodrich, 1932;Stewart, 1950). Their ambitions were strongly rooted in the politics of the progressive era: the feminist movement, the improvement of educational opportunities for women, and social reform.…”

“…Nursing leaders envisioned a new social role for nurses as health educators in the community. Annie W. Goodrich, lecturer at Teachers' College, and later professor of nurse education and Dean of the Yale University School of Nursing (1923), emphasized that nurses should use every patient encounter, whether in the home or the hospital, for health education and lifestyle improvement (Goodrich, 1932).…”

“…In order to educate nurses properly for this independent role in the community, nursing leaders sought to improve the traditional hospital training system. They perceived the apprenticeship system as insufficient preparation for rendering an independent social service (Goodrich, 1932;Stewart, 1950). At the turn of the century, nursing leaders had established a link with Teachers' College of Columbia University and organized a university course in hospital economics to improve the quality of education of teachers and training school administrators.…”