As a big part of the nursing world, we find learning new facts about the industry around the world incredibly fascinating, and we hope you do too. Here are ten of our favorite facts that we learned this week.
- The top occupational health concern of nurses is back injury. A survey done in 2011 shows that 59% of nurses are afraid they might have this.
- The famous poet and essayist Walt Whitman served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War in Fredericksburg, Virginia. His poem entitled “The Wound Dresser” got its theme from his nursing experience in the battlefield.
- 17th century shipwreck survivor Juan de Mena is considered the first nurse in the New World.
- Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of Abraham Lincoln, was a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War
- In order to give recognition to school nurses, January 27 is now celebrated as the National School Nurse Day.
- The first Nursing school was established in India in 250 BC.
- James Derham, a black slave, was “owned” by several doctors working as a nurse. He bought his freedom using his nursing salary and he later became the first African- American physician.
- The nurse cap is patterned after a nun’s habit to keep the hair neatly in place. Although this clothing item has long been phased out as it is known to carry pathogens, some countries still use this as part of the female nurses’ outfit.
- The most visits to emergency rooms occur during the warmer months of the year.
- The UKCC or the United Kingdom Central Council has established the Nurses Registration Act of 1919 that ensures nurses get the proper and high standard of training.