Witches, Midwives & Nurses

Witches Midwives & Nurses. A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English

The role of the nurse has evolved over the years. As a nurse in current times, I can tell you that there is autonomy in my care. I can choose not to do an intervention a doctor has ordered if I think it will harm my patient. I can question a doctor without fear of being fired. I use my own critical thinking skills to notify the team of a patient’s worsening condition. I work with female doctors, female pharmacists, and female advance practitioners. We as females are present in healthcare. We are pushing for more. Feminism and our standing in the medical field are intertwined. This book goes into detail about women’s history in medicine. It displays how much discrimination we have already overcome. We must continue to fight for further education in female health and female rights. We are part of the long history of witches, midwives, and nurses that have fought to be part of the system. Let’s continue that legacy.

This book starts with our history in Middle Ages and travels through time until Florence Nightingale reconstructed the role of the nurse. It recounts witch hunting, the suppression empirical care and the decline of women’s role in the healthcare system.

It reviews the ups and downs of women’s journey through time. It explains how women had lost their foothold within the organization and temporarily lost their voice to the modernization of medicine. Yet, over the past century women have been slowly regaining their original place as healers and wise women. We must keep this momentum.

In current times it may seem as if we are moving backwards. This just means we must fortify our positions. We must stay strong and present in the ongoing fight for our rights as women.

This is a good, quick read. Def recommend ✅