Florence Nightingale Pledge

[Teresa76]

Hello everyone! I am a nursing student, still freshman.

Today we have a ceremony of "Florence Nightingale Pledge". (Now I am memorizing it.)

I heard that this is for next year's nursing practice in the hospital.

I am curious to know that all nursing schools have this cerebration.

And how was your feeling when you had this event before..

[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."

[cannoli]

I, for one, had never heard it and never said it.

It is not said universally as some nurses seem to believe as evidenced by some

of the posts made regarding it.

Good luck with school!

[gizzy76]

The only time I ever said the pledge was at graduation. We had a candle lighting ceremony at our banquet and read the pledge in front of our friends and family.

Not sure if others do the same. It was something that one of our classmates suggested and everyone thought it would be a nice gesture/tribute to our nursing roots.

[Plato]

I like your signature saying better than that stupid pledge that wasn't even written by Flo. I'd rather light a candle and say what you said!

"Wanna be a nurse so much!

Wanna work at various nursing parts!

Wanna live for My God!"

[Blanche]

we used this pledge at graduation. every school of nursing has different traditions. we had a capping ceromony and lit candles in a dedication ceromony before we went to our first clinical. it depends in how old your school is,and and if it is a hospital or started by a religion or in a college. it is a way to emphasise the importance of what we do for a living. nuraing is an art, as well as a science. to paraphrase flo. she knew exactly what she was doing, and writing even before the crimean war. read her writings. the meaning behind them is as fresh and new as the writing of nurses now. she was trying to raise nursing to a height as respected as doctors. nurses had a bad reputation at the time. most of them were prostitutes because of the personal things that had to be done. she recruited respectable women and had strict rules to raise the value of what nurses do. she succeeded. didn't she!:roll