Throughout the 1970’s the standard for nursing education was for it to be completed on site at a hospital. Nurses often lived in residences next to the hospital where they would complete their training and live together, when not on shift. These nurses were paired with a more senior staff member and shown how to complete all of the tasks that were expected of a nurse each day. This was a tradition held over from the very beginnings of nursing education where skills were passed down from one nurse to another.
![Image result for [Photograph of a professional student nurse, intern, registered nurse, and Miss. G. Froese, a certified nursing aide.] Canada Department of Manpower and Immigration (MIKAN 4365918), Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontari](https://learninghowtocare.car.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/image.jpeg?w=311)
In the 1980’s nursing became recognized as an accredited profession in need of standardization across the profession, this was done in order to protect not only the nurses from performing skill that they may not have been taught but also their patients. Schools in order to ensure all nurses had the same expectations of practice began to drift away from the hospitals and were set up in hospitals and universities. In 1984 the expectations and curriculum for the Baccalaureate programes in Nursing began.
Today, the standard of a Bachelors degree remains the entry requirement for a Registered Nurse. Of note a Registered Practical Nurse completes a two year college diploma for their entry to practice. The primary difference between the two roles has to do with how acutely ill a patient is, with Registered Nurses being responsible for the more unstable patients.
The profession however continues to grow, with the development and institution of Nurse Practitioners (Master Trained Nurses) who’s education focuses around caring for patients with interventions and making diagnosis’.
Final it is also possible to undertake a Doctoral level education for Nursing. Often with a focus on how the role of a nurse can continue to develop and make changes to the health care system.
Nursing is an exciting field to study as it is in a continual state of change. With roots in tradition and an eye towards change the profession continues to develop and find the niche it can serve within the health care field.
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