[Parish nursing around the year 1900]

Abstract

This contribution first introduces the factors that supported the development of parish nursing before going on to explain the diverse organizational concepts involved and their development over time. It looks at the various Catholic and Protestant as well as secular institutions active in this field. The article then discusses the manifold tasks, fields of work and approaches to problem-solving that were characteristic of parish nursing. The various cultural, social and religious problems that the parish nurses had to contend with on a daily basis are also presented, including the increasing competition with other professional groups. The article concludes by looking at the standing of parish nurses in society and the advantages and disadvantages of parish nursing as opposed to hospital nursing from the point of view of the parish nurses themselves.