Nursing Image Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Image - Essay Example Dorothea Lynde Dix (1802-1887) made a significant contribution to the state of mental health in the United States during the period starting late 19th Century. She is remembered for pioneering mental assylums in the United States. Dorothea Dix is regarded as a â€Å"voice for the mad†. Her contribution to the improvement of the lives of the mentally ill people in the United States cannot be compared to that of any other person in the history of nursing. Mental health is an important aspect of nursing, thus all mentally-ill patients deserve good nursing and care, just as other patients. According to Parry (2006), evidence shows that Dorothea might have been a victim of neglect from her parents, thus this might have influenced her to advocate for the well-being of mentally ill people in society, who were equally neglected at most times.In the year 1841, Dorothea Dix volunteered her time and knowledge to the East Cambridge jail, where she held one hour of devotion with female inm ates in that jail. While on this mission, Dorothea Dix realized that those inmates that were mentally-ill were living in poor conditions. For instance, these were chained in filthy and cold cells. Dorothea therefore, after making this observation, was committed to ensuring that the mentally-ill inmates lived in good conditions, and not the one she had witnessed. Most inmates have no power over their health, as while in prison, they cannot control the circumstances surrounding their health, such as the quality of the cells, among other aspects.