Day 7 - 133 -- Nursing Profession

International Nurses Day today falls during 2020, which has been designated International Year of the Nurse and Midwife by WHO. The theme for the year is "nursing the world to health," ironically chosen before COVID-19 descended on the world. International Nurses Day is celebrated on the birth day of Florence Nightingale. This year marks the 200th anniversary of Nightingale's birth.

This amazing woman is the focus of my historical research exploring the development of the dietetic profession as it is known today. She recognized the importance of sanitation and hygiene during the 1950s, when she nursed during the 1854 London cholera epidemic and just after that headed to Turkey to organize hospital care for the wounded soldiers in the Crimean War. Now, sanitation and hygiene sound like common sense -- more or less -- today. But in the mid-19th century the sanitation movement advocated for something that science had not found evidence of yet. It wasn't unti 1961 when Pasteur published the 'germ theory' -- and it was just a theory that tiny organisms caused disease. Koch proved that theory when he found the bacteria that caused anthrax. Prior to that discovery, Lister used phenol to sterilize wounds and instruments. He is known as the father of sterilization.

Nightingale worked with statistics to explain disease rates in different populations, which was during the very early days of epidemiology -- the study of how disease spreads. She produced beautiful coxcomb graphs showing the morbidity and mortality from disease, where she compared Army barracks with general populace to show the enlisted men were not treated well. This is similar to class structure issues found by Snow with cholera epidemics in London. Cramped, close quarters, poor sanitation from sewage management, water supplies, food sources, access to care all increased risk of disease or death. Sadly, we still struggle with health equity issues in industrialized and emerging nations around the globe. Poverty is a key determinant of poor health.

So today we celebrate the work of the many nurses around the world, particularly during this pandemic. I have many good friends and relatives who belong(ed) to the nursing profession. I have taught undergraduate nursing students and held workshops for practicing nurses. That we have a common individual who spurred on the nursing and the dietetic profession is cool.  The song for today provides examples of the importance of this health care professional. Interestingly, the singer-songwriter best known for his band in the 1960s and their performance at Woodstock, has also studied Florence Nightingale from the perspective of army nursing. go figure <smile>. Take care. Enjoy!

Thank the Nurse - Country Joe McDonald