Anuoluwapo Alao

As a Nurse, nursing student, or someone interested in becoming a nurse, you might already know a lot about the profession, but what you might not know are some interesting facts about nurses and the profession.


Here are some interesting facts you’ll be surprised to learn;


– James Derham, a black slave, was ‘’owned’’ by several doctors working as a nurse. He bought his freedom using his nursing salary and he later became the first African-American physician.


– The nurse cap is patterned after a nun’s habit to keep the hair neatly in place. Although this clothing item has long been phased out as it is known to carry pathogens, some countries still use this as part of the female nurses’ outfit.

-The top occupational health concern of nurses is back injury. A survey done in 2011 shows that 59% of nurses are afraid they might have this.


– Japans exam for foreign nurses is so difficult that, according to the latest report, it has been passed only by 96 out of 741 test takers in the past five years.


– On the average, nurses walk four to five miles every 12-hour shift they work compared to the average person who only walks about 2.5 miles on average. This interesting fact about nursing proves why nurses need a comfortable pair of shoes.


-Violet Jessop, a ship nurse, served on each of the three ‘sisters’ Titanic, Britannic and Olympic. While she was on board, the Olympic collided with a warship and nearly sank. The titanic hit an iceberg and sank. The Britannic hit an underwater mine and sank. She survived all three.


– The 2019 annual Gallup Survey has named nursing as the highest-trusted profession for the 18th year in a row. Nurses are viewed as having high ethical and honest standards by 8 out of every 10 Americans who took the survey.


– Nurses can work in law firms. Registered nurses and advanced practice nurses can earn a Legal Nurse Consultant certificate and work with lawyers as part of a litigation team. These nurses serve as expert witnesses and review medical charts.