Mary Mahoney



Abstract

This study highlights the complete background and life of the first black nurse Mary Eliza Mahoney. This is also studies the hindrances that she faced as the first black nurse. This study also helps to understand the Social, ethnical and racial discriminations and other challenges that as a black nurse created problems for her career and her professional life. This study also provides information about the difficulties of that time and the dominance of the white nurses in the society and effect of all these social behaviors on her education, life and nursing practice.

Mary Mahoney

Introduction

Nursing is the noblest profession which is beyond racial and ethnical discriminations. It is the profession which satisfies the passion of serving humanity. Unfortunately, this profession is also affected with the social and racial differences. Since decades, this profession is also under the influence of these controversial issues. This racial discrimination and dominance of white females in this profession hinders the perfect delivery of health (Vaughan, 1997, p. 135-139). This directs the thought towards the practice of nursing in the past. Nursing is a profession which was in practice by the nuns and then first recognized as a profession after an English nurse Florence Nightingale. Later there were many nurses in this field. As a noble profession, it restricted only for the white race because blacks treated as the inferior and suited for lower jobs. This ideology changed after the first black nurse in this field. Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first black nurse who changed the history of nursing. This is the result of her extraordinary efforts that now there are thousands of nurses in this profession.

Thesis Statement

Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first black nurse, who changed the history of nursing with her extraordinary effort in education, practice and serving the humanity.

Discussion

It is very clear from the American history that the minorities and blacks are never accepted in the field of the leading and noble professions (Worth, P. 2004, p. 101-105). The black nurses are still facing difficulties in this field. It is not only this field, but in all such important fields and professions blacks still have to struggle for their identity and rights in these professions. In the field of nursing, the first black nurse Mary Eliza Mahoney has paved the way for other blacks who are interested in this field.

Early Life

Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first African American Black nurse was born on 16th April 1845 in Boston. She was like an ordinary black girl and with her parents used to work for their living. She was the oldest daughter and has more responsibilities towards her parents. This filled her with the thought of helping others and to choose the profession of nursing. The most important factor that led her to take the nursing as a profession was her working at the New England Hospital for Women and Children. She was appointed as the cook and cleaning women; this was the profession, for which as a black she was chosen, ...