Nursing Missionary Elizabeth J. Shepping's Education and Holistic Care for Koreans

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to present education and holistic care of Elizabeth J. Shepping (1880~1934), a nursing missionary and a founder of the Chosun Nursing Association who visited Korea during the Japanese colonial period. METHODS: Primary and secondary sources were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: This study provides important implications regarding Shepping's holistic nursing as follows First, she came to Korea after studying nursing and bibliology and being trained for nursing missionary works. Second, she cared for many Koreans, especially Korean women, to protect them from poverty, oppression, ignorance, and illnesses. Third, she continued to spread holistic care in hospitals and other local communities. She trained nurses, developed nursing education, and produced a large number of domestic nursing leaders by establishing women's Bible school. Fourth, she founded the Chosun Nursing Association, serving as its first president for 10 years and applied to join the International Council of Nurses (ICN). CONCLUSION: Finally, suggestions were provided for future research, and it will be necessary to study thoroughly nursing achievements by nurses from other countries who practiced their nursing activities in Korea, and such studies are expected to lead to analysis of nursing missionaries' experiences.