ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Timeline of nursing history

Okay kiddo, let me explain the timeline of nursing history to you.

A long, long time ago, people got sick and injured just like they do today. But there were no nurses to take care of them. Instead, family members or friends would try to help.

But then in the 1800s, a woman named Florence Nightingale became famous for being a nurse during the Crimean War. She worked hard to make sure her patients were clean and had good food and medicine.

After that, more and more women started to become nurses. In America, a woman named Clara Barton helped during the Civil War and later started the American Red Cross to help people in emergencies.

In the early 1900s, nursing schools started to open up to teach women (and some men) how to be good nurses. They learned about things like anatomy (the study of the body), medicines, and how to take care of patients.

In the following years, nurses continued to grow and become more respected. They helped during World War I and II, and in the 1950s and 60s, they were finally allowed to work in hospitals alongside doctors.

Today, nursing is a very important job that helps people when they are sick or hurt. Nurses work in hospitals, clinics, and even in people's homes. They make sure patients are comfortable, take their medicine, and understand what is happening to them.

So you see, nursing has a long and interesting history that has helped many people over the years.