The Lady With the Lamp...

May 12th is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. By my calculations, she would be 189 years old, if she were still living. She is known as the woman who put “nursing,” as a profession, on the map. Her participation in the care of British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War is well documented. 

What is not as well known is that she was also a statistician. She collected data on mortality and morbidity during the Crimean War and presented her statistics in the form of a graphic representation, something that was unheard of at that time. As she tried to make changes in the way hospitals were run, her opponents came to the table prepared to win arguments with her based on her sex, and left with a new-found respect for the science of statistics.

During the Crimean War, Florence became known as “the lady with the lamp” as she moved from patient to patient, ministering to the sick and wounded soldiers. Proudly, the nursing profession has adopted the lamp as the icon to represent who we are and what we do.

In over thirty years of professional nursing practice, I have never lost the sense of pride in saying that I am a registered nurse, nor have I lost the sense of humility concomitant with the daunting task I face each and every day. 

Since May 6th to May 12th is the annual celebration of Nurses’ Week, I looked up the pledge I made so many years ago. I thought I would share it with you:

Florence Nightingale Pledge

"I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly: 

To pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully; 

I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug; 

I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling; 

With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care."