Rufaida Al-Aslamia

Personal background Among the first people in Medina to accept Islam, Rufaida Al-Aslamia was born into the Bani Aslem tribe of the Kazraj tribal confederation in Madina, and gained fame for her contribution with other Ansar women who welcomed the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, on arrival in Medina. Familial ties to medicine Born into a family with strong ties to the medical community, Rufaida's father, Sa`ad Al Aslamy, was a physician and mentor under whom Rufaida initially obtained clinical experience. Devoting herself to nursing and taking care of sick people among others, Rufaida Al-Aslamia became an expert nurse. Although not given responsibilities held solely by men such as surgeries and amputations, Rufaida Al-Aslamia practiced her skills in field hospitals in her tent during many battles as Muhammad used to order all casualties to be carried to her tent so that she might treat them with medical expertise. It has also been documented that Rufaida provided care to injured soldiers during the jihad, as well as providing shelter from the wind and heat of the harsh desert for the dying. ==Historical aspects of female nursing in Arabia==

Pre-Islamic and Islamic Era (570–632 AD) Typically presented within the context of Muhammad, the historical development of female nursing and surgery in Arabia from the Islamic Period to the modern times boasts a tumultuous history laden with cultural barriers and public pressures. Though very sparse documentation exists about the history of nursing in the Pre-Islamic period, a proper understanding of societal and religious paradigms during the reign of Muhammad lends significant insight into the roles and expectation of nurses in antiquity. In marked contrast to the pervading Christian interpretation of disease as a divine punishment for man, Muslims place an extremely high value on the ritual cleansing of the body, daily prayer schedules, and strict dietary regiments. An era in history defined by several holy wars, medicinal treatment during the times of Muhammad was largely performed solely by doctors, who would personally visit the patient to diagnose abnormalities and provide medications to those who were in need. Placing the bulk of the biological and physiological responsibilities of a patient on the doctor alone, nurses were limited in their duties to providing physical comfort and emotional support. While there has been some relaxation of segregation in contemporary times, the values of many traditional Islamic people are for hospitals and their policies to reflect these past segregational practices. == Revolutions in nursing development ==

Rufaida Al-Aslamia's emergence as nursing leader A charismatic and capable leader, published records testify that Rufaida Al-Aslamia, who practiced at the time of Muhammad, was the first Muslim nurse. While there is slight controversy in who is "technically" the first surgeon and nurse in history, Middle Eastern countries attribute the status of the first-ever nurse to Rufaida, a Muslim surgeon and nurse. Acute care origins Rufaida Al-Aslamia implemented her clinical skills and medical experience into developing the first-ever documented mobile care units that were able to meet the medical needs of the community. The scope of the majority of her work in her organized medical command units consisted primarily in hygiene and stabilizing patients before further and more invasive medical procedures. During military expeditions, Rufaida Al-Aslamia led groups of volunteer nurses who went to the battlefield and treated the casualties. She participated in the battles of Khandaq, Khaibar, and others. During times of peace, Rufaida Al-Aslamia continued her involvement with humanitarian efforts by providing assistance to Muslims who were in need. ==Legacy==

Rufaida had trained a group of women companions as nurses. When Muhammad's army was getting ready to go to the battle of Khaibar, Rufaida and the group of volunteer nurses went to Muhammad. They asked him for permission "O Messenger of Allah, we want to go out with you to the battle and treat the injured and help Muslims as much as we can". Muhammad permitted them to go. The nurse volunteers did such a good job that Muhammad assigned a share of the bounty to Rufaida. Her share was equivalent to that of soldiers who had fought. This was in recognition of her medical and nursing work. ==References==