Dorothea Dix: A Nursing Hero

The nurse I decided to write about is Dorothea Dix. She was an author, teacher, and a reformer. Dix fought for the mentally ill and prisoners on how they were treated across the United States as well as in Europe. She established many hospitals for the mentally ill, along with how the mentally ill can be helped or even cured. Her troubling background and family history served as an impact of her career. Dix started off with creating an elementary school within her grandmother’s home. She desired to be a school teacher and wanted to share her knowledge to young women “who dominated the teaching profession” (ncbi). Along with all of her accomplishments with teaching and being an advocate for the mentally ill, Dix volunteered during the American Civil War and was appointed to organize the Union Army hospitals as well as oversee majority of the nursing staff (history). Dorothea Dix was

She was appointed as the “superintendent of U.S. Army” (anb). She trained many young nurses, this included Louisa May Alcott. Dix was feared by many of the nurses and butted heads with many of the army officials (history). In 1881, the state of New Jersey opened a hospital in the town of Trenton (webster). This hospital was established in honor of her. At the end of her life, Dix became very ill and spent the last few years in that hospital. In 1887, Dorothea Dix passed away leaving a legacy. During her lifetime, Dorothea Dix made many changes for the mentally ill and how they were treated in North America as well as in Europe. She changed many policies in prisons, by showing that the mentally ill belonged in hospital institutions rather than cells. Dix opened eyes of people across the country to see the mentally ill were not incurable. There were more than 120 mental health institutions that were made because of Dix (anb). Dorothea Dix’s work in the medical field left an impact in peoples lives and in medical