As part of National Nurses Week, National Student Nurse Day is observed on May 8. It is a day to recognise the bravery of student nurses as they enter the extremely challenging and competitive medical field. The education that nursing students receive differs from that of other students. In addition to classroom instruction, student nurses implement their knowledge through clinical experiences such as medication administration, patient care, and documentation. Student nurses can specialise in nursing disciplines such as clinical nursing, burn care nursing, education, mental health nursing, nurse practitioner, or midwifery. Before becoming registered nurses, student nurses must pass certification exams upon completion of their studies.
The background of National Student Nurse Day
Nursing education has evolved over the years, shifting from a more practical approach to learning how to integrate diverse medical-related disciplines and research, allowing nursing schools to produce nurses who are not inferior to physicians and can function as equal members of the medical team.
Prior to the introduction of conventional nursing education, student nurses received apprenticeship training in religious institutions such as convents. Then, in 1860, Florence Nightingale established the first general nursing training programme at St. Thomas’ Hospital. The curriculum of the school was designed around nursing practise, hygiene, and task competence. The Nightingale paradigm dominated nursing education for the entirety of the 20th century until it was replaced by the “service first, education second” philosophy.
The outbreak of the American Civil War brought to light the significance of nursing and the need for nursing education. The contributions of individuals like Dorothea Dix and other volunteer female nurses during the war resulted in the establishment of several nursing colleges in 1873. This comprises the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing, the Connecticut Training School at New Haven Hospital, and the Boston Training School at Massachusetts General Hospital. In 1888, Darius Mills founded an all-male nursing programme at New York’s Bellevue Hospital. This helped dispel the notion that nursing was a discipline dominated by women.
In the 1900s, advancements were made in nursing education. This includes distance learning, a standard nursing curriculum, a personalised feedback system for various nursing programmes, and the piloting of nursing-associate degrees in various colleges and universities.
The onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 had a cascading effect on the nursing profession, transforming medicine further. It contributed to the development of telehealth and medical technology.
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5 essential facts about nursing
Gallup’s annual honesty/ethics poll ranks nursing as the most ethical profession in the United States between 1999 and 2020.
According to a study published in “MEDSURG Nursing,” during a 12-hour shift, nurses trek an average of four to five miles.
About fifty percent of students enrolled in healthcare-related courses specialise in nursing.
In addition to hospitals, nurses may serve in government agencies, educational services, health practises, military bases, and research laboratories.
In the United States, there are more than three million registered nurses, which is roughly equivalent to the populations of Los Angeles and Jamaica.
NATIONAL STUDENT NURSE DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | May 8 | Monday |
2024 | May 8 | Wednesday |
2025 | May 8 | Thursday |
2026 | May 8 | Friday |
2027 | May 8 | Saturday |