Pioneers in Nursing

An art installation of nurses who impacted history

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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. This installation is a representation of the beautiful images created by local artist Damon Thompson.

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

Part of the renovations included the removal of the beloved mural, but in

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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