In the postwar period, nurse education has diversified, awarding advanced and specialized credentials, and many traditional regulations and roles are changing.

[10] Around 600 BC in India, it is recorded in Sushruta Samhita, Book 3, Chapter V about the role of the nurse[citation needed] as "the different parts or members of the body as mentioned before including the skin, cannot be correctly described by one who is not well versed in anatomy.

Hence, anyone desirous of acquiring a thorough knowledge of anatomy should prepare a dead body and carefully, observe, by dissecting it, and examining its different parts."

[18] Nursing care went to the inexperienced as traditional caretakers, rooted in the Roman Catholic Church, were removed from their positions.

[19] During the Crimean War, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna called for women to join the Order of Exaltation of the Cross (Krestodvizhenskaya Obshchina) for a year of service in military hospitals.

The first section of twenty-eight "sisters", headed by Aleksandra Petrovna Stakhovich, the Directress of the Order, reached Crimea early in November 1854.

She believed that any educated woman could help improve the care of the ill.[24] Her Notes on Nursing (1859) was a popular call to action.

These factors included fresh air, clean water, a working drainage system, cleanliness, and good light.

Seacole practised hygiene and the use of herbs in healing wounded soldiers and those suffering from diseases in the 19th century in the Crimea, Central America, and Jamaica.

Nursing became recognized as a distinct academic discipline, initially tasked to define the theoretical basis for practice.

[46] According to the traditional interpretation physicians are concerned with curing or treating medical conditions, while nurses focus on care.

In almost all countries, nursing practice is defined and governed by law, and entrance to the profession is regulated at the national or state level.

Nurses provide care based on the individual's physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual needs.

Notable exceptions include Francophone Africa, which includes the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Guinea, Gabon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, and Togo, which all have more male than female nurses.

[60] Like other disciplines, the profession has developed multiple theories derived reflecting varying philosophical beliefs and paradigms or worldviews.

Platforms offer an app to facilitate communication and allow nurses to find work opportunities based on their preferences.

[62] Platforms such as United States–based ConnectRN, Nomad Health, Gale Healthcare solutions or Lantum add resources, career development tools, and networking opportunities.

[63] Florence Nightingale's seminal epidemiological study examining mortality among British soldiers during the Crimean War was published in 1858.

[72] Common barriers to the study and integration of research findings into clinical decision making include: a lack of opportunity, inexperience, and the rapid pace of evidence accumulation.

Medication management and administration are common hospital nursing roles, although prescribing authority varies across jurisdictions.

[79] Nurses practice in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, private homes, schools, and pharmaceutical companies.

The fast-paced and unpredictable nature of health care places nurses at risk for injuries and illnesses, including high occupational stress.

[83] Healthcare has consistently ranked among the industries with the highest rates of musculoskeletal injuries, largely related to patient handling.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) the single greatest factor in overexertion injuries is the manual lifting, moving and repositioning of patients.

[84] These tasks present unique ergonomic hazards that results in a high rate of acute and cumulative musculoskeletal injuries.

Organizational coercion may include excessive workloads, mandatory shifts, involuntary placement in another part of the workplace, low salaries, denial of benefits/overtime, poor working environment, and other stressors.

[94] Individual psychosocial factors may include nurses being young and inexperienced, previous experiences with violence, and a lack of communication skills.

These principles are based on critical and complex thinking development, problem-solving, evidence-based clinical decision-making, and lifelong learning.

[128] In Islam, nurses provide healthcare services to patients, families and communities as a manifestation of love for Allah and Muhammad.

Nursing in Israeli Jewish culture traces its origins to Shifra and Puah, two Hebrew midwives depicted in the Book of Exodus helping women in ancient Egypt give birth and keep their infants safe.