The front line of medicine can be a challenging experience, even for the seasoned medical professional. For nurses, in particular, care in a crisis is second nature – from pandemics to public health emergencies such as the opioid and AIDS epidemics, nurses have a seasoned history of protecting the community and saving lives.

The challenges that nurses face are essential to understanding why their role is so meaningful in our lives. Nursing issues, in particular, allow those without medical knowledge to understand the pressures that contemporary nurses face – from ever-increasing demand to the complexities of modern care, nursing professionals often surmount the insurmountable in their daily roles.

How did it all start, though? As we’ll soon discover, modern nursing has a storied history, dating back to the 17th century and the legendary Florence Nightingale. Defying the social convention of the time, nursing has evolved from something only afforded to by family to an honored profession, that looks after all that need help, across a diverse range of medical fields.

A Brief History of Nursing

It is human nature to care – over time, humanity has developed, in part, because of its ability to care for each other. However, for a great deal of time, the role of caring for those outside of sick relatives was simply unheard of. In the 19th century, Florence Nightingale was born, and her career as a nurse, known as the icon “The Lady with the Lamp,” transformed the way that nursing was perceived in her era.

In her thirties, Florence became an icon while working as a nursing manager and trainer in Constantinople, a battlefield of the Crimean War. Her selfless attitude to promote hygiene standards and sanitation while working in an environment where doctors of that age were openly hostile to her presence helped to lay the foundations of modern medical care and the crucial role that nurses play.

Throughout her life, Florence Nightingale left an indelible impression on the lives of those she served. She was truly a nurse of her age – and her legacy can be noted when modern-day graduates take the Nightingale Pledge, or its successor, the Practical Nurse Pledge, at graduation ceremonies.

The Challenges of Public Health Emergencies

Nursing professionals are often at the front line of public health emergencies – Florence Nightingale’s efforts during the Crimean War were merely the first in a string of conflicts in which nurses and other medical professionals were involved.

Medical staff often form a crucial protective line in public health emergencies, no matter whether the conflict is wartime, plague, pandemic, or endemic. Wartime and conflict are often happening somewhere on planet Earth, and organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without borders), the World Health Organisation, and the Red Cross do incredible work in providing medical support where it is most needed.

Public health emergencies are not solely restricted to battlegrounds. Sometimes, medical crises can occur much closer to home – and in the last two decades, pandemics such as avian flu and coronavirus have tested nursing professionals immensely. Pandemics are not just risky for the community, but they are particularly vicious on nurses and other frontline staff.

A harrowing statistic, and one that should not be dismissed – during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published by the World Health Organisation, it was estimated that some 115,000 nurses died as a result of catching the virus while taking care of patients. Public health emergencies can have immense challenges – and for some nurses, the consequences can be deadly.

Front Line Moments – What Do Nurses Do?

On the front line, nurses have a range of roles and responsibilities that can have a range of implications for patients. As the first line of defense between the morgue and the emergency ward, the role of a nurse is both critical and understated.

Nurses have a range of key activities that they undertake, no matter whether their role is in a clinic, a ward, or in a tent in a conflict zone. In particular, nursing coalesces around several key areas, which can vary depending on specialty and experience. 

For example, registered nurses undertake activities around four key areas. These include conducting physical exams and gathering patient history, the provision of medication and administering interventions, coordinating care with other experienced medical professionals, and as a provider of health education and counseling.

Nurses can specialize in many different fields – depending on interests, a nurse may choose to qualify in a variety of fields ranging from Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) to specialties in areas varying from critical care to geriatric nursing.

Nursing is a highly respected profession – for many people experiencing medical issues, the actions of a nurse can change a life forever. Some nurses even go above and beyond the call of duty, such as nurse Diana Graham, RN. In her position as a Registered Nurse, Diana collaborated with a multi-disciplinary team at Spartanburg Medical Center to support the diagnosis of a chronic autoimmune disorder that had been detrimentally impacting a patient’s life for several months.

The result was life-changing for the patient – with the diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis opening up an avenue to treatment with specialists at another medical facility. This wouldn’t have been possible without the work of a truly dedicated nurse.

The Future of Nursing

What will the future hold for nurses? In a world that is experiencing the transformative effects of digital innovation, one could surmise that new opportunities in fields such as telehealth and remote care may avail themselves to those who wish to take on a new challenge. This may be particularly helpful in the provision of medical care in rural and remote America, where it can be tough to find local practitioners in regional hubs.

Americans are living longer than ever before, but that’s not to say that there aren’t medical challenges waiting for them. From the opioid epidemic to the impacts of coronavirus, nurses will find themselves challenged from every avenue. For many, though, making a positive impact in the lives of people in your community can not only be meaningful, but it makes a difference.

Next time you meet a nurse on the street, be sure to say thanks for the immense amount of work they put in. You never know – next time you’re in need of medical care, they may just change your life for the better.

Published by: Nelly Chavez