[Centennial retrospective on the evolution and development of the nursing profession in Taiwan]

This article explores the evolution and development of the Taiwanese nursing profession. After introducing the origins of nursing, this article proceeds to introduce nursing during various periods in Taiwan, including the early-Qing Dynasty, foreign missionary nursing, the Japanese Colonial Era, and the Nationalist Chinese Era following World War Two up to the present. The authors then present the current situation in the Taiwanese nursing profession in terms of gender issues, high-technology developments, educational issues, the nursing licensing examination, hiring and training, multiple role functions, and the skill-mix care model. Finally, the authors make recommendations for the further development and improvement of the nursing profession in Taiwan.