Final answer:
Population-centered nurses in the past were often referred to as nursing sisters, especially during wartime. They were vital to wartime medical services, working under extreme conditions, and their contributions continued to impact healthcare post-war.
Step-by-step explanation:
Role of Population-Centered Nurses in the Past
In the past, population-centered nurses have often been referred to as nursing sisters. This term was commonly used during times of war, particularly World War I, to describe professional military nurses. These nursing sisters were an integral part of the medical services and provided care under extreme circumstances, sometimes even close to the front lines. For instance, the Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs), organized in Britain, trained thousands of individuals, who were then assigned as assistants to these nursing sisters. They played a crucial role both in field hospitals and in home countries where they continued to contribute to healthcare after their wartime service concluded.
Nurses also accompanied wounded soldiers on their journey home, and some lost their lives during such missions, exemplified by the tragic sinking of the Llandovery Castle where fourteen nurses perished. These women were recognized for their sacrifice and dedication; for example, during air raids in Etaples, France, when nursing sisters Hélène Hanson and Beatrice McNair were awarded the Military Medal for their outstanding devotion to duty. The work of nursing sisters in the war laid a foundation for subsequent advances in the field of medicine and healthcare.