Reciting nurse's pledge question

[FLNurse2015]

I was just told in class we'd be reciting the nurse's pledge before each class and at graduation. My issue with this is the first line.. has anyone else come across this issue? It's not a religious or privately funded school. I don't belong to a faith so pledging to a god makes me uncomfortable. How would you handle it?

Here is the pledge:

Before God and those assembled here, I solemnly pledge:

To adhere to the code of ethics of the nursing profession.

To cooperate faithfully with the other members of the nursing team and to carry out faithfully and to the best of my ability the instructions of the physician or the nurse who may be assigned to supervise my work.

I will not do anything evil or malicious, and I will not knowingly give any harmful drug or assist in malpractice.

I will not reveal any confidential information that may come to my knowledge in the course of my work.

And I pledge myself to do all in my power to raise the standards and the prestige of the practical nursing.

May my life be devoted to service, and to the high ideals of the nursing profession.

[Tragically Hip]

On the other hand. I don't know how anyone can practice nursing for any length of time without a profound appreciation of the importance of spirituality. I've seen too many things that just didn't have any other explanation.

That is your opinion, and that is fine, whatever you mean by "spirituality." The issue is that a particular way of "spiritual thinking" should not be forced on anyone.

If it's a non-denominational private school, it's just plain wrong. If it's a public institution, then it is flat out illegal. It's also unethical.

There are very good, vary compassionate providers who have a very different take on spirituality than you do. You may not see how that can be, but it is a fact. The idea of forcing the issue is completely absurd, even from the perspective of the religious.

Do you think a particular god is being referenced in the pledge in question?

[FLNurse2015]

I would never ever discriminate a patient (or another human being period) for any of their beliefs. I was just expressing my discomfort over pledging to something I don't personally believe in. I 100% support everyone else's right to choose their own lifestyle and beliefs and will support them fully

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

That is your opinion, and that is fine, whatever you mean by "spirituality." The issue is that a particular way of "spiritual thinking" should not be forced on anyone.

If it's a non-denominational private school, it's just plain wrong. If it's a public institution, then it is flat out illegal. It's also unethical.

There are very good, vary compassionate providers who have a very different take on spirituality than you do. You may not see how that can be, but it is a fact. The idea of forcing the issue is completely absurd, even from the perspective of the religious.

Do you think a particular god is being referenced in the pledge in question?

I don't think it's addressing a particular god, I think it's been part of the pledge and is a part of history. When we used to have to say the pledge of allegience in school, that, too, has a reference to god, unless you have a place that decided to take it out. The money we spend has "In God We Trust".....do you not spend the same money that has something you disagree to on it? I agree with JerseyGirl, where she advises to pick your battle wisely. If that school chooses to recite that form of the pledge, repeat parts you want to repeat and remain silent during the others. (And when I say "you", I am not addressing any one individual person, I mean "you" as a general term.)

You are going to come in contact with people you don't agree with, people who are mean, spiteful, and revengeful, and people who downright sabatoge things to get rid of someone they don't like. So who knows, if you voice your dislike to someone in the school, you may find yourself not graduating.

Go through the ceremony, say what you want, get your pin and move on.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Crusty old bat here. . . .

I am surprised that a publicly funded school is allowed to refer to "God" in any context. I thought that was illegal.

On the other hand. I don't know how anyone can practice nursing for any length of time without a profound appreciation of the importance of spirituality. I've seen too many things that just didn't have any other explanation.

Well in public schools...."One nation...under God....indivisible..." it's the pledge of allegiance. So it is said in schools that receive public funding. And that is where the argument usually begins.(sigh) I for one believe that there are traditions that need to be followed for we have to know where we have been to know where we are going.

OP.......The Nightingale Pledge is a traditional pledge that was taken by new nurses. Named after Florence Nightingale, it was composed by a committee chaired by Lystra Gretter, an instructor of nursing at the old Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was first used by its graduating class in the spring of 1893.

It is a modified Hippocratic Oath designed specifically for nurses. It states that a nurse will do their best to make medical decisions for the benefit of their patients and for society. They should never prescribe a drug they feel may be harmful and they should never administer this drug to themselves. Finally, they should always aid physicians at a medical facility to the best of their ability. It celebrates Nightingale, her contributions, and nurses everywhere.

Florence Nightingale Pledge | Nurse News | Vanderbilt University

The Original Pledge The Florence Nightingale Pledge

I solemnly pledge myself before God and 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 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

I vote just don't say the word God or stand there silently.

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

Well in public schools...."One nation...under God....indivisible..." it's the pledge of allegiance. So it is said in schools that receive public funding. And that is where the argument usually begins.(sigh) I for one believe that there are traditions that need to be followed for we have to know where we have been to know where we are going.

OP.......The Nightingale Pledge is a traditional pledge that was taken by new nurses. Named after Florence Nightingale, it was composed by a committee chaired by Lystra Gretter, an instructor of nursing at the old Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was first used by its graduating class in the spring of 1893.

It is a modified Hippocratic Oath designed specifically for nurses. It states that a nurse will do their best to make medical decisions for the benefit of their patients and for society. They should never prescribe a drug they feel may be harmful and they should never administer this drug to themselves. Finally, they should always aid physicians at a medical facility to the best of their ability. It celebrates Nightingale, her contributions, and nurses everywhere.

Florence Nightingale Pledge | Nurse News | Vanderbilt University

The Original Pledge The Florence Nightingale Pledge

I solemnly pledge myself before God and 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 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

I vote just don't say the word God or stand there silently.

And, hey, I disagree with being loyal to the physician, because many of them don't back their nurses! If anything goes wrong the nurse is the first one to be thrown under the bus and the physician will look the other way.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

don't make a big deal out of it. Someone's feeling will get hurt. Just don't utter the words you don't like. Who will know?

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

Just leave out the religious phrase you don't ascribe to and say the rest, which you presumably agree with. That is what I do with the pledge of alleigance.

That's weird that you say a pledge every day. Do you say the American pledge of alleigance every day?

I have the opposite problem, and I'm also at a state run facility with no faith/religion. Ours read as some nebulous statement about "I pledge myself to All Higher Beings." Well the bottom line is that I do not pledge myself to ALL HIGHER BEINGS. I pledge myself to the One, the true God, maker of all things. There are other higher beings out there, and I'm not going to get into it but there is not a chance I'd do anything even close to pledging myself to them. So I just said it the my way. That's what holds meaning for me, that's what directs me, that's where I have accountability in my life.

It is outrageous that they would expect you, or anyone else to say that pledge. It's written in a way that is offensive to most anyone be they atheist, christian, jew, or what have you!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

And, hey, I disagree with being loyal to the physician, because many of them don't back their nurses! If anything goes wrong the nurse is the first one to be thrown under the bus and the physician will look the other way.

It also says to pass our lives in "purity" that we will not partake in any activity that is "deleterious and mischievous"........I guess if we really believed that many of us would be in trouble ........

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Just leave out the religious phrase you don't ascribe to and say the rest, which you presumably agree with. That is what I do with the pledge of alleigance.

That's weird that you say a pledge every day. Do you say the American pledge of alleigance every day?

It is outrageous that they would expect you, or anyone else to say that pledge. It's written in a way that is offensive to most anyone be they atheist, christian, jew, or what have you!

Not everyday at nursing graduation.

[Stephalump]

No, she said they say it every day before class

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

It also says to pass our lives in "purity" that we will not partake in any activity that is "deleterious and mischievous"........I guess if we really believed that many of us would be in trouble ........

LOLOL!! I know I would....:rotfl:

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

Not everyday at nursing graduation.

She said:

I was just told in class we'd be reciting the nurse's pledge before each class and at graduation.