Pioneers in Nursing

An art installation of nurses who impacted history

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To get to where the field of nursing is today, it takes a long history of innovators and advocates. The Pioneers in Nursing: Trailblazers Through Time installation is a celebration of standout individuals who forever changed the practice by challenging the status quo.

In 2021, the UofL School of Nursing sought to honor the diversity of brave nursing leaders by commissioning a mural for the first floor of our building. 

With renovations of the School of Nursing space desperately needed to meet the demands of growing programs, in 2026, the first floor saw significant changes to meet those needs.

This portrait installation is a preservation of the heart of the original art created by Louisville local artist Damon Thompson. It can be found in the second floor of the School of Nursing building, located at 555 S. Floyd Street.

Pioneers in Nursing Portraits

View the carousel of portraits and click Read Description to learn about how these individuals changed the field of nursing.
Rufaida Al-Aslamia (c. 620 AD-unknown) is widely regarded as the first Muslim nurse and a trailblazer in community health. Born in Medina, she gained clinical experience under her physician father and later led teams of volunteer nurses during battles alongside Prophet Muhammad. She established mobile field hospitals and emphasized hygiene, compassion, and education. Rufaida also founded the first nursing school in the Middle East, training women in first aid and caregiving. Her legacy lives on in the principles of culturally competent and ethical nursing care.
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Read the article about the reveal of the original mural here.