Final answer:
Post-Civil War, the history of nursing in the United States is marked by professionalization and expansion of roles for women in medicine and education. Increased educational opportunities and wartime needs facilitated the growth of the nursing profession. World Wars I and II were pivotal in solidifying the roles of female nurses and doctors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transformation of Nursing in the United States Post-Civil War
The history of nursing in the United States underwent significant transformation beginning with the Civil War. This period marked the emergence of more formalized nursing roles and the expansion of educational opportunities for women. The war necessitated a systematized approach to medical care, with women organizing into auxiliary groups such as the United States Sanitary Commission to improve sanitation and decrease the death rate from diseases in camps. Nursing figures during this era, like Dorothea Dix, emphasized the importance of respectability and dedication over physical appearance.
During the twentieth century, the nursing profession saw a surge in professionalization and specializations within medicine and education. Mandatory school attendance laws and the increasing numbers of female high school graduates propelled women into teaching and, ultimately, into nursing. Women who served in World War I returned with invaluable experience, often seeking roles in medicine or as speakers detailing their wartime contributions.
The advent of World War II further solidified the role of nurses, both on the battlefield and on the homefront, serving near the front lines and supporting the war effort. Opportunities for women in nursing and as physicians expanded, with female doctors earning recognition for their wartime efforts. This set the stage for the continuous growth and evolution of the nursing profession in the United States, including an increasing emphasis on education and professional credentials for nurses.