During the Spanish-American War, which nurses were preferred?

• A. Female nurses
• B. Male nurses
• C. Nurse teams from colonies
• D. Non-nurse aides

Answer: (B)

In the time of the Spanish-American War, the military medical system relied heavily on male nurses within the Hospital Corps. These enlisted men were readily available, physically capable of the strenuous and hazardous tasks of field and military hospital work, and could carry out hands-on, technical duties under tough conditions. While civilian and some female volunteers contributed, the structured staffing of military care often favored the male corpsmen who filled these demanding roles, which is why male nurses were considered the preferred option in that era.