Nursing: A Celebration of Care

May 14, 2012

Nursing is a calling

Nursing is a calling, so believed Florence Nightingale. She felt that what was required to be a nurse involved both diligence and vigilance, qualities that were not sustainable for many in spite of a desire to serve the ill.

Today, nurses have moved into the role of primary caregivers during hospitalizations, in public health, in clinics and physician offices, in emergency rooms and urgent care clinics.

In her many writings, Nightingale claimed that “while it may be the surgeon that saved the patient’s life, it will be the nurse who teaches that patient how to live.” Thus, the role of the nurse is often not appreciated until it becomes clear that the nurse at the bedside is the person holding the hand and health of the patient.

As we move into Accountable Care Organizations, it will become even more evident that the role of nursing holds the key to healthcare quality.

This month of May, celebrating the birth of Florence Nightingale and honoring nurses who indeed continue to deliver caring at the bedside, is a small statement of gratitude that cannot go far enough to thank all those who have taken up this mission-driven work.