Are We Preparing Our Future?

Nursing is a profession with a history of religious roots. The first nurses were not trained and, in some cases, represented individuals who had little or no education. The religious roots and lack of education led to the assumption of a role of subservience to others.1 Florence Nightingale demonstrated the impact that good care could have on patient outcomes during the Crimean War.2 Her work formed the basis for standardized nurses' training within a hospital.