Historical Perspective of Nursing Process

In its early stages of development, the nursing process faced challenges and criticisms that reflected the evolving understanding of nursing practice and healthcare delivery. Here are some of the challenges and criticisms during those times:

• Resistance from Traditional Medical Models: During the early development of nursing, the medical profession held significant authority within healthcare settings. Physicians were often considered the primary decision-makers, and nursing was viewed as a subordinate role focused on carrying out physician orders. This hierarchical structure sometimes led to resistance from medical professionals to nursing frameworks that emphasized independent decision-making and intervention by nurses. The introduction of systematic approaches like the nursing process may have challenged traditional power dynamics within healthcare institutions, leading to skepticism or pushback from physicians and other healthcare providers.
• Limited Recognition of Nursing as a Profession: Nursing initially lacked recognition as a distinct profession with its own body of knowledge and standards of practice. Instead, it was often perceived as an extension of domestic or caregiving duties traditionally associated with women. This lack of professional recognition could have hindered the adoption of systematic frameworks like the nursing process, as nurses may have struggled to assert their autonomy and expertise within healthcare settings.
• Lack of Formal Education and Training: In the early days of nursing, formal education and training programs were scarce. Many nurses learned their skills through apprenticeship or on-the-job training, which may have resulted in variability in practice and a lack of consistency in applying frameworks like the nursing process. Without standardized education and training programs, nurses may have had limited exposure to systematic approaches to patient care and may have relied more heavily on traditional methods and practices.
• Focus on Task-Oriented Care: Healthcare delivery in early times often prioritized completing tasks and following physician orders over holistic patient care. Nurses may have been expected to focus on carrying out specific tasks rather than engaging in comprehensive assessment and care planning. This task-oriented approach could have detracted from the implementation of the nursing process, which emphasizes systematic assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation to address the holistic needs of patients.
• Inadequate Resources and Support: Nursing practice in early times was characterized by limited resources, including staffing, equipment, and educational opportunities. Nurses may have lacked the support and infrastructure needed to fully implement systematic approaches like the nursing process in their daily practice. Without adequate resources, nurses may have struggled to conduct thorough assessments, develop comprehensive care plans, and provide the level of care envisioned by frameworks like the nursing process.
• Gender Bias and Stereotypes: Nursing has long been associated with femininity and gender bias and stereotypes may have influenced perceptions of nursing practice. Nursing was often seen as an extension of women’s caregiving roles within the family, which could have undermined efforts to establish nursing as a distinct profession with its specialized knowledge and skills. Gender bias may have also contributed to the devaluation of nursing work and hindered efforts to promote nursing frameworks like the nursing process as essential components of healthcare delivery.
• Resistance to Change within the Nursing Community: Even within the nursing community, there may have been resistance to adopting new frameworks and approaches to practice. Nurses who were accustomed to traditional ways of delivering care may have been hesitant to embrace systematic models like the nursing process, particularly if they perceived them as overly bureaucratic or rigid. Resistance to change within the nursing community could have slowed the integration of the nursing process into nursing practice and hindered efforts to advance the profession.

Despite these challenges and criticisms, the nursing process gradually gained acceptance and recognition as a valuable framework for organizing and delivering nursing care.

Over time, efforts to standardize nursing education, promote professional autonomy, and improve healthcare delivery have contributed to the integration of the nursing process into nursing practice.