Do we have an oath for nurses I don't know about?

Nurses General Nursing

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Killer nurse on TV's "Criminal Minds"

So did anyone watch this new show tonight? The new "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" that had a killer nurse on a rampage. Anyway, I was curious to know if any nurses out there swore an oath to care for patients. Forrest Whitaker's character said something about nurses having sworn an oath to care for people and I thought that was odd since I never knew we had an oath. I mean, I know about the Hippocratic oath but I always thought it was for physicians.

Do we have an oath for nurses I don't know about?:nurse:

Did it when I graduated, at the ceremony. No lamps though. Cap, white uniform, got diploma, entire class said pledge.

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No Florence Nightingale didn't even write it. It was written in 1893. This is what was posted on the ANA..

This modified "Hippocratic Oath" was composed in 1893 by Mrs. Lystra E. Gretter and a Committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses, Detroit, Michigan. It was called the Florence Nightingale Pledge as a token of esteem for the founder of modern nursing.

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.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

i couldn't make eye contact with my family or close friends during the part of abstaining from mischief. i'm still 12 inside :-)

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There's also a secret handshake, as well as a daily password. And on the second Tuesday after a blue moon in any year with a 7 in it, we elect a new Grand Poobah.

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Specializes in Emergency.

We use the "hi sign".

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

Don't know what they did at my graduation since I didn't go. Never heard of the "Nightingale Oath."

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

When I saw that ridiculous Nightingale Pledge on my commencement program, along with the "hooding" and "pinning" ceremonial nonsense, I gave my graduation tickets away, and spent commencement day packing a truck to move as far away from that hellish school as I could.

I think someone should write a new pledge that reflects current sensibilities. Haha! I can only imagine what it would say!

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Wow, that pledge needs some serious updating. "I pledge before God to pass my life in purity"?? I know it was a long time ago, but no, I'm not a nun. I'm not sure any body in 2013 could recite this with a straight face.

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It's interesting how such oaths evolve with time. The stress of the Nightengale pledge to be pure and obediant tells a lot about how sexist society was toward nurses and women in general. And until relatively recently, the hippocratic oath had physicians swearing that they would never help a woman abort her pregnancy....

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