It was founded in 1893 in Chicago as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses. It became the National League of Nursing Education in 1912 and the National League for Nursing in 1952.
Nursing emphasizes ongoing care, preventive care, education and healthy behavior.
There are 2.5 million registered nurses in the United States, making nursing the largest sector of the health care industry. The average age of registered nurses is 44.3 years. 5.4-percent of the working registered nurses are men. However, 13-percent of students enrolled in nursing schools are males. The Federal Appropriations Act of 1942 included the first support of nursing education through Federal funds.