Nursing in India has a long history, with ancient Indian texts containing principles of nursing that still apply today. However, nursing was initially obstructed by factors like women's status and the caste system. The earliest organized nursing was military nursing started by the East India Company in the 17th century. Florence Nightingale greatly influenced nursing in India in the 19th century. Formal nursing education began in the late 19th century with the establishment of training schools. National nursing organizations were formed in the early 20th century, and nursing education has continued to develop and expand since Indian independence in 1947.

1. NURSING IN INDIA

2. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• The ancient records of India indicates
the principles and practices of
nursing.
• They are so clear, intelligent and
scientific, that many of them might
fit into any of the modern textbook.

3. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• The nurses were usually young men, and
only in special cases, women were taken
– [conducting childbirth].
• The progress of nursing in India was
obstructed by the
1. Low state of women,
2. The caste system,
3. Illiteracy and 4. Political unrest.

4. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• Military nursing was the earliest type of
nursing.
• In 1664 the East India Company started a
hospital for soldiers at Fort St. George,
Madras.
• The first sisters were sent from St.
Thomas Hospital, London to this military
hospital.

5. 1797
In 1797 a Lying - in -Hospital
(maternity) for the poor of
Madras was built with the
help of subscriptions1 by
Dr. John Underwood.
1854
In 1854 the Government
sanctioned a training
school for midwives in
Madras.
NURSING
IN
INDIA
1 - Donations

6. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• Florence Nightingale was the first
woman to have great influence over
nursing in India and had a close
knowledge of Indian conditions,
especially army.

7. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• She was interested in the nursing service
for the civilian population, though her first
interest was the welfare of the army in
India.

8. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• In 1865, Miss Florence Nightingale drew
up some detailed “Suggestions on a
system of nursing for hospitals in India".
• Graduates trained from the Nightingale
School of Nurses at St. Thomas Hospital
England, came to our country to start
similar schools.

9. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• St. Stephens Hospital at Delhi was the
first one to begin training the Indian girls
as nurses in 1867.
• In 1871, the first School of Nursing was
started in Government General Hospital,
Madras with 6 months Diploma
Midwives program with four midwifery
students.

10. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• 4 lady Superintendents and 4 trained
nurses from England were posted to
Madras.
• Between 1890 and 1900, many schools,
under either missions or Government,
were started in various parts of India.

11. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• In the 20th century, National Nursing
Associations were started.
• In 1897, Dr. B.C.Roy did great work in
raising the standards of nursing and that
of male and female nurses.
• In 1908, TNAI was formed - to uphold the
dignity and the honour of nursing
profession.

12. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• In 1918, training schools were started
for health visitors and dais, at Delhi and
Karachi.
• Two English nurses Miss.Griffin and
Miss.Graham were appointed to give
training and to supervise the nurses.

13. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• In 1926, Madras State formed the first
registration council to provide basic
standards in education and training.
• The first four year basic Bachelor
Degree program were established in
1946 at the College Of Nursing in Delhi
and Vellore.

14. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• With the assistance from the Rockefeller
Foundations, 7 health centers were set
up between 1931 - 1939 in the cities of
• Delhi,
• Madras,
• Bangalore, Lucknow,
• Trivandrum,
• Pune and Calcutta.

15. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• In 1947, after the independence, the
community development programme
and the expansion of hospital service
created a large demand for
• Nurses, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM),
• Health visitors, Midwives,
• Nursing tutors and Nursing
administrators.

16. NURSING
IN
INDIA
31 Dec. 1947
The Indian Nursing
Council was
passed by our
ordinance
1949
The council was
constituted in 1949.
In 1956
Miss. Adrenwala was
appointed as the
Nursing Advisor to
Government of India.

17. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• The development of Nursing in India was
greatly influenced by the
• Christian missionaries,
• World War,
• British rule and
• By the International agencies such as
W.H.O.UNICEF, Red Cross etc.

18. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• The first master’s degree course, a two-
year postgraduate program was begun in
1960 at the College of Nursing, Delhi.
• In 1963, the School of Nursing in
Trivandrum, instituted the first two years
post certificate Bachelor Degree program.

19. NURSING
IN
INDIA
• The associations such as
• International Council of Nurses,
• The nurse’s auxiliary of the CMA of
India,
• T.N.A.I.
• Indian Nursing council and
• State level Registration Council -
closely connected with promotion and
the upliftment of the nursing
profession.