Which of the following was the first practical nursing school in the United States?

Appeared in: AIIMS BHOPAL NO- 2018( Shift-2nd)

Explanation

The Thompson Practical Nursing School was established in 1907 in Brattleboro, Vermont.
It is considered one of the earliest formal practical nursing programs in the United States.
While the Ballard School (founded in 1892 as a YWCA program) was technically the first practical nursing school in the U.S., it is not provided as an option, making the Thompson School the correct answer from the list.

Option A: This was one of the first professional (RN) nursing schools in the U.S. based on Florence Nightingale's principles, not a practical nursing school.
Option C: The Household Nursing School (later the Shepard-Gill School) was founded in Boston in 1918, which is after the Thompson School was established.
Option D: The Kaiserswerth School was established in Germany in 1836. It is famous as the institution where Florence Nightingale received her formal training, but it is not located in the United States.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing History of Nursing Education in the United States helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the historical distinction between practical (LPN/LVN) and professional (RN) nursing education is fundamental to recognizing the different scopes of practice, responsibilities, and roles in the modern healthcare team.
The development of standardized nursing schools marked a shift from informal care to a structured profession, which was a critical step in improving patient outcomes and public health.
What if? If the question had asked for the first nursing school for African American nurses in the U.S., the answer would be the school at Provident Hospital in Chicago, established in 1891.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrases in the question: 'first,' 'practical nursing school,' and 'United States.' This is a historical recall question.
Evaluate each option based on these three criteria.
Eliminate 'Kaiserswerth School' immediately because it is not in the 'United States.'
Eliminate 'Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing' because it was a 'professional' (RN) school, not a 'practical' one.
Between the remaining two options, 'Thompson Practical Nursing School' and 'Household Nursing School,' recall or deduce which was founded earlier to determine the 'first.' The Thompson School (1907) predates the Household School (1918).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc Nursing 3rd Edi Jogindra Vati — Subpart A (pp 26-339 of 1017) p. 39-41

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health NursingShyamala D part 1 (pp 26-389 of 389) p. 45-47

Practise the full AIIMS BHOPAL NO- 2018( Shift-2nd)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.