In answer to Sharon, I wrote:
<Sharon writes:
< How did other professions break away from nursing and 
separate themselves?  Perhaps we need to do some research into those experiences 

and draw upon them rather that trying to reinvent the wheel.  Not just in 
general, but what specifically happened at what times along the path to 
establishing, for instance, physical or occupational therapy as a profession? 
>

When I entered nursing school in 1948, PT was already a separate specialty.>

At that time, and for many years after in our state, it was still also legal for 'graduate nurses' (those who had graduated from some sort of training, but never took or passed state board exams) to practice and call themselves nurses.

I believe the impetus for the formation of the physical therapy profession may have been provided by the polio epidemics around the world. One famous name that seems to stand out in my mind is Sister Elizabeth Kenny???, I believe from Australia? Can anyone there fill us in?

<Those of us who felt strongly enough about the importance of social 
work 
for patients, found ourselves more comfortable in public health nursing.>

Historically, I am a little fuzzy, but I believe I remember that Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton and others were essentially educated, altruistic lay women concerned for the suffering and lack of sanitation and care for sick, wounded and dying of various wars in the 19th century. They influenced U.S. and international nursing and eventual standards of training and eventual legal registration of nurses. I believe it was concerned lay women who began visiting the homes of the sick, eventually leading to the concept of visiting nurses. The public health nurses in Boston in the early 20th century. (or perhaps in the late 19th century) who put 2+2 together while visiting homes of sick children for follow-up visits and noted that living conditions contributing to childhood illness were also affecting pregnant women, and spent much time on educating mothers in basic sanitation and personal cleanliness, basic nutrition, 'primitive' prenatal and birth, and breastfeeding education, thus establishing the importance of prenatal care. At that time, doctors usually only saw pregnant women in a crisis situation when a pregnancy or birth complication was in progress. Thus, early observations of nurses contributed much to the development of social work, dietetics, as well as medicine. At one time, I estimate the perhaps 75% of U.S. Childbirth educators began as nurses, too.

And from some historical things I have read about Chicago health care, at one time, nurses there were some of the most ardent advocates and promoters of universal breastfeeding! So "breaking away" from nursing might in one way be seen also as "growing from the roots of nursing, among other callings".

Jean
************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, OH USA

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