Which social movement helped and hurt the nursing profession?

• A. Feminism
• B. Prohibition
• C. Temperance
• D. Labor

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how social movements shape a profession by changing education, credentialing, and power dynamics within healthcare. The feminist movement directly affected nursing by expanding access to higher education for women, pushing for standardized curricula, licensure, and formal regulatory bodies. This elevated nursing from a largely informal, female-dominated role to a recognized, autonomous profession with clearer career paths, better pay, and more leadership opportunities. At the same time, challenging traditional gender roles and the physician-dominated hierarchy created friction, with some hospitals and physicians resisting expanded nursing autonomy and the shift toward university-based education disrupting established diploma programs. So, feminism best explains how the nursing profession was both advanced and unsettled: it raised status and professional standards, while also provoking tensions that needed navigation.