Essay About Year Of The Nurse And Commemoration Of The Death Of Florence Nightingale

Florence Case
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ts been said this is the year of the nurse, to coincide v^^ith the
commemoration of the death of Florence Nightingale – and
in South Africa the year Charlotte Searle was born. As the
nurses all over the world celebrate the life of these giants in
the profession, the profession itself needs to reflect on how it
has been performing – against Florence Nightingales model
to date, in trying to review the expectations she had for the profession,
as reflected in her life as a person and a nurse, one can
identify where the profession stands.
According to Nightingale (1859/1969 in Fitzpatriok and Whall
2005: 21), a nurse was any woman who had the “charge of the
personal health of somebody”, whether sick or weil. Nightingale
held a religious view of nursing as a “calling” or Gods work. The
nurse was to acquire and apply knowledge about Gods laws of
health, and thus move humankind closer to perfection. Nursing
activities served as an art form through which one might develop
spiritually (Cook, 1942; Welch, 1986; Widerquist, 1992).
Born in italy on 12 May 1820 during an era when women did not
ordinarily display any interests beyond domestic or social events,
Nightingale clashed frequently with the mother and older sister
about her non-conformist beliefs and actions (Allen, 1975; Webb,
1992). She was well educated, spoke several languages, and pursued
religious and philosophical studies.
Nightingale frequently interacted with leading scientists and educators
of her day. Nursing, as the application of knowledge of
natures law to help humankind, became Nightingales means of
serving God.
Nursing was but one aspect of Nightingales drive to improve
social welfare. She encouraged all Englishwomen to speak up and
use their influence for the “cause of social progress”. Although
compassionate and deeply religious,