Nursing in the 1970's, 80's, and 90's.

The world was booming at this point in time. Socially, economically, and technologically this was a time to be remembered. People were discovering themselves and they were discovering more about the world around us and really how to best live in it than they ever had before. Health care was effected by all of this. From the AIDS epidemic to the Hospice movement and all of the issues that we are dealing with today as far as how to pay for our health care and what nurses can do to protect and care for their patients in the best way possible while still being cost effective and efficient. Where do nurses stand in all of this? Nurses are the integral go between in health care. They are the patient advocate as well as the doctor's and administration's extension. During this period nurses were just beginning to understand the importance of personal safety and the use of what is now known as "standard precautions" (gloves, masks, gowns, etc) were just beginning to be realized as necessary and vital things. Not just because patients can be gross but because they can be dangerous. All of us modern nurses have a lot of thanking to do to the nurses who endured this time in nursing.

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