Nurse in : Phoebe, the deaconess of Cenchreae

This page follows that arc from the deaconesses of the early church and the nursing tent of Rufaida Al-Aslamia in seventh-century Medina to today's intensive-care units and nurse practitioners. It covers how people actually become nurses in different countries, what a twelve-hour shift really contains, the craft knowledge nurses pass to each other, who reached the top of the profession, and how much of the work machines can realistically absorb.

How long does it take to become a nurse? Typically three to four years. A bachelor of nursing takes three years in the UK and Australia and four in the US and much of Asia; Germany runs a three-year paid apprenticeship instead. After the degree comes a licensing or registration step — an exam in some countries, credential checks in others — and most new nurses then complete a supervised first year on the wards.

What is the difference between an RN, an LPN and a nurse practitioner? It varies enormously by country. The US median for registered nurses was about $86,000 in 2023 (BLS), with nurse anesthetists above $200,000; Australian RNs average roughly A$90,000; UK staff nurses start near £30,000 on the NHS scale; a Philippine government nurse starts around ₱36,000 a month. The gap is a major reason nurses migrate between countries.