Nurses on the frontline of rescue; The story of martyrs who were less told

When the sound of explosions echoed in the war-torn cities and the wounded arrived at the hospitals one after the other, the nurses were fighting on another front to save human lives; A front whose weapon was knowledge and skills and its field was hospitals and medical centers. The narrative of the role of nurses in the eight years of holy defense is a less seen part of the history of Iranian resistance, which needs to be recorded and read more than paying homage to the past.

According to the Missionary Thought and Culture Base, in the eight years of the imposed war, at the same time as the warriors fought on the front lines, nurses in hospitals, medical centers in war-torn cities and field hospitals opened another front to save human lives. A front where specialized knowledge, professional commitment and spirit of self-sacrifice came together to keep hope alive, even in the most difficult conditions of war.

According to Ambassador Arjan's account, eight years of sacred defense was not limited to military operations and the confrontation of warriors with the enemy on the front lines. Behind the fronts and medical centers, there was a continuous effort to save the lives of the wounded; An effort in which nurses played an essential role. In difficult conditions, despite the lack of facilities and physical and mental pressures, they continued to take care of the wounded, and together with doctors and other members of the medical staff, they made a lasting contribution to reducing the suffering of war victims. A role whose rereading illuminates an important part of the social history of the holy defense.

With the beginning of the imposed war in Shahrivar 1359, nurses in the hospitals of the border towns, medical centers in the war zones and field hospitals took responsibility for treating a large number of wounded. The increase in referrals, the lack of medicine and medical equipment and the limitation of treatment facilities had created difficult conditions for the treatment staff. In such a situation, nurses, relying on their professional knowledge and skills and feeling responsible for human lives, tried to provide necessary care and save the injured.

Nursing in the shadow of attacks and restrictions of war

Knowing the role of nurses during the sacred defense period will not be complete without paying attention to the conditions prevailing in the war-torn cities and operational areas. A group of them worked in cities that were the target of enemy attacks, and another group was treating the wounded in field hospitals and temporary medical centers near the operational areas. In these environments, the sound of explosions, the successive arrival of the injured and the worry of possible attacks were part of the daily conditions of the medical staff.

Despite these difficulties, the process of caring for the wounded had to continue. In addition to performing specialized tasks, nurses were faced with conditions that made quick decision-making, maintaining concentration and managing mental pressure an inevitable necessity. In many cases, the high volume of injured people and limited resources increased the necessity of prioritizing treatment measures and careful use of available facilities.

In the meantime, not only one injured patient needed treatment; He was a person who, in addition to medical care, also needed peace, attention and hope. Taking care of the critically injured, attending to the victims of chemical attacks, accompanying the injured who were in severe pain, and supporting the warriors who were facing the physical and psychological consequences of war, were part of the responsibility of nurses.

The damage caused by war was not limited to physical injuries. After being transferred to medical centers, many soldiers, in addition to enduring pain and worrying about their future, were also worried about the condition of their friends and comrades. In such a situation, human interaction, conversation with patients and compassionate care of nurses could help reduce anxiety and strengthen their morale. From this point of view, nursing during the Holy Defense era was more than a therapeutic task, it was a manifestation of empathy, responsibility and human support in the difficult days of the country.

beyond treatment; Contribution of nurses in national resistance

The experience of the sacred defense period showed that the defense of the country is not only limited to the presence of military forces on the battlefield. Caring for the wounded, continuing the activity of medical centers and supporting the injured were also part of the society's capacity to deal with the consequences of the war. With their continuous presence in hospitals and medical centers, nurses played an effective role in maintaining this capacity and, along with other relief and treatment groups, shouldered part of the heavy burden of the war.

Of course, the explanation of their role should not be limited to emotional narratives or the image of sacrifice in critical moments. Nursing services during the war required specialized knowledge, clinical skills, decision-making power, precision in performing treatment procedures and the ability to manage stressful situations. When there was not enough time to treat all patients or the necessary facilities were not available, the combination of professional knowledge and responsibility became more important.

The value of the services of Holy Defense nurses also lies in this connection between expertise and sacrifice; A link that shows that saving human lives, in addition to facilities and equipment, depends on professional preparation, moral commitment and the ability to maintain the quality of care in difficult conditions.

The history of the holy defense in the memories of nurses

As years have passed since the end of the war, an important part of the human and social experiences of the holy defense still remains in the memories of people who are less at the center of public and official narratives. Nurses are among these groups; Those who have closely experienced many bitter and sweet scenes of war and can provide valuable information about the condition of field hospitals, treatment conditions in war-torn cities, the problems of the medical staff and the lived experience of the wounded.

Recording and publishing these memories is not only an act of appreciation for past services, but also a necessity to complete the social history of the Holy Defense. The narrative of war approaches a more comprehensive picture when, along with military operations, developments in the field, and the role of commanders and fighters, the experience of those who tried to save human lives behind the front lines is also recorded.

In this way, conducting oral history interviews with nurses, collecting hospital documents, preserving related photos and letters, and compiling memories of medical staff members can help document this part of history. In addition to preserving the experiences of previous generations, such measures also allow for a more detailed examination of the methods of providing medical services in war conditions.

Transferring these experiences to the young generation, especially students of nursing and medical sciences, is another aspect of the importance of this issue. Familiarity with the experiences of nurses during the Holy Defense era can provide a basis for better understanding of professional responsibility, ethics of care, crisis management and the importance of social solidarity in emergency situations.

A lasting legacy of sacrifice and responsibility

The holy defense was an arena for showing the social capacities of the Iranian people; The capacity that was manifested in the presence of warriors in the fronts, the support of families, the activity of rescuers and the round-the-clock efforts of the medical staff. Meanwhile, nurses were an example of social sacrifice; Sacrifice that was not meant by being in the military fields, but by taking care of injured people and trying to bring them back to life.

Rereading the experience of this group is also important in the present day. The memories and performance of wartime nurses remind us that professional preparation, responsibility, solidarity and adherence to moral principles are essential components of facing crises. Their experience also shows that specialized knowledge and skills can be most effective when they are accompanied by human commitment and a sense of responsibility towards society.

With their knowledge, skills and continuous efforts to save the lives of the wounded, the nurses of the holy defense formed an integral part of the resistance narrative of the Iranian people. Although their names have not been recorded in historical documents and narratives, their services have remained in the lives of the wounded and their families and in the social memory of society.

Protecting this heritage requires that the memories of nurses be recorded and published, their role in the history of holy defense finds a worthy place, and future generations get to know the fact that along with the epic creation of warriors on the front lines, a group of health professionals were also present in another front of defense and resistance by trying to save human lives.