R for Rufaida Al-Aslamia: Female Scientists Before Our Time

Rufaida Al-Aslamia was the first Muslim woman in the Middle East to become a nurse. Rufaida was born in Medina, Saudi Arabia around 620 AD into the Bani Aslam tribe of the Khazraj tribal confederation. Her people were among the first to accept Islam. Her father, a practicing physician, was an excellent mentor and gave Rufaida her first clinical experience.

Rufaida devoted her life to nursing and social work, caring for the sick and helping those in need, among these, orphans, the handicapped, and the poor. She was a keen promoter of community health and developed "the first code of conduct and ethics." Seeking permission first, she erected a tent outside a mosque and taught the public on health-related topics. Rufaida also organized the first mobile care unit in the community.

During wartime, Rufaida led groups of volunteer nurses into the battlefield. They used tents to shelter the soldiers and treat their injuries, concentrating on hygiene and stabilizing wounds, careful to only touch the injury site per Islamic religious rules for separation of men and women. They were not allowed to do surgeries or amputations, but would do prep work for the male physicians. A nurse's role involved providing physical comfort and emotional support, as well as serving food and giving medicine - "noninvasive duties." 

Rufaida and her team of volunteers participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaz, Khaibar, the Trench and others.
 

Mosque at Salaman, location of Battle of The Trench where Al-Aslami treated the injured

Source: http://sohabih.blogspot.com/2017/02/saidatuna-rufaida-al-aslamia-ra.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufaida_Al-Aslamia