Cyclical evolution of nursing education and profession in Iran: religious, cultural, and political influences

This article was written to gain some insight into the underlying social and/or cultural forces that have, over the centuries, influenced the development of nursing education and the nursing profession in Iran, one of the most ancient civilizations of the world. As a native of Iran deeply involved in the nursing profession and in many aspects of nursing education, I decided to review my many years of experience and observations in these fields in Iran to better understand how the noble profession evolved as it did in my native country. For the years following the Islamic Revolution of 1977 to 1979, I was forced to rely on information gathered from my professional colleagues. An extensive search of the literature yielded a better understanding of the very early years. Analysis of this data seemingly produced a potpourri of such basic issues as modes of education, cultural/religious states of consciousness, and the rights of women. These are not factors generally considered germane to the development of the nursing profession and nursing education, although the latter two have proven to be crucial issues in understanding the development and current status of nursing education and the nursing profession in Iran.