ORL nursing: where we have been and where we are going

In 1873, formal training for nurses in the United States began on the east coast with the formation of hospital-based schools (Schoor & Kennedy, 1999). Upon completion of the two to three year program, graduate nurses took positions in private homes as private duty nurses. Hospitals needed only a few supervisory nurses since student nurses provided most of the patient care. The popularity of private duty nursing continued for many years and was slowly replaced by hospital staff nursing in the 1930s. This article provides an overview of ORL nursing and the advent of certification in ORL specialty nursing.