Shine a Light

Today we not only celebrate International nurses day; the Bicentenary of the birth of Florence nightingale, it is also the International Year of the Nurse. A poignant time to be a nurse. Some leaders have asked everyone to ‘shine a light’ today. The symbolic gesture will be a nod to the lamp which Florence Nightingale – a founder of modern nursing – was known to carry.

In a recent article in the nursing times, Ruth May Chief nursing officer for England has joined other leaders in urging people to shine a light from their window at 8:30pm on Tuesday to mark the day and show their appreciation for nurses.

The call also comes from Professor Greta Westwood, chief executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, and Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive and registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

In addition, to mark International Nurses Day and Florence Nightingale’s bicentenary, an image of her and a message of thanks will be projected on to her place of work, St Thomas’s Hospital, from parliament.

It will also be projected onto the British Embassy in Rome and the Italian Federation of Nurses between 9pm and 11pm.

Ms May said: “International Day of the Nurse is particularly special this year not just because we mark the 200^th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, but because of the extraordinary work all those who have followed in her footsteps are doing in the fight against coronavirus.

“I want to thank each and every one of our incredible nurses who are on the frontline in the battle against the greatest health emergency in NHS history,” she said. “Their professionalism and skills are helping to save and rebuild countless lives.

“It is a challenging but hugely rewarding career and I would urge anyone inspired by their example to sign up to join us and become a nurse,” said the CNO.

“I know how much the public’s support has buoyed my colleagues during this testing time. It would mean a great deal if people once again showed their gratitude by shining a light for nurses this Tuesday.”

Professor Westwood, from the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said: “Nurses have been on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic, providing expert care and support to patients and their families during these uncertain times.

“Florence Nightingale, herself a trailblazer during her career, would have been proud at the way nurses have followed in her footsteps as pioneers and leaders in the fight against the pandemic. They are truly her legacy today.”

Meanwhile, Ms Sutcliffe, chief executive of the NMC, noted that International Nurses Day was “more important than ever” this year.

“We recognise the enormous contribution existing and former professionals are making in caring for people through some of the most challenging moments of their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“They are the beating heart of our health and social care system, trusted and appreciated by the public and deserving of our admiration and respect,” she said.

“I am so grateful and proud of our nurses, nursing associates and their colleagues.  I hope this special day encourages even more nurses to join or return to what is a wonderful and rewarding career.”

Julie Pearce, Marie Curie chief nurse and executive director of quality and caring services, added: “Caring for someone during their final weeks and days of life is both a privilege and a challenge.

“Right now, our frontline nurses and other professionals are committed to supporting the NHS through this national crisis, caring for patients with coronavirus and other illnesses in our hospices, in homes and care homes across our four nations.

“Nurses have never had a more difficult time providing care, and we’ve seen them rise to the challenge,” she said.

We’ve all heard of the name, so what do we know about Florence Nightingale?

She was born in 1820 in the Italian city of Florence and moved with her family as a baby to the East Midlands in 1821.

The Nightingale family was wealthy and well-connected and Florence’s father William Shore had inherited the Lea estate (and with it the right to change his surname) from his uncle, Peter Nightingale.

The family built Lea Hurst in England, a 15-bedroom family home in Derbyshire, where they lived until 1825.

She is known as the founder of modern nursing and a profoundly talented statistician and advocate of social reform.

After tending to soldiers during the Crimean War from 1854 she soon garnered a reputation for professional excellence and was known as the ‘lady with the lamp’ due to her continued observations of the wounded and ill overnight.

Nightingale highlighted issues surrounding hygiene and living conditions for soldiers, noting that far more were dying of infection or illnesses such as typhoid and dysentery than their battle wounds. 

She implemented hand washing practices and called for the British government to help improve sanitation. The sanitary commission cleaned out sewers and improved ventilation, drastically reducing the death rate at scutari hospital in Istanbul. 

Florence Nightingale played a key role in the 1860s in advising on the redesign and management of the biggest hospital in the area, the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, which opened in 1869 with a wing named in her honour.

A statue of Florence Nightingale survives outside the hospital’s site to this day after being first unveiled in 1924, 14 years after her death at the age of 90. 

She helped found the first secular nursing school in the world and her name is synonymous with nursing of the highest standard.

The Nightingale Pledge is now taken by new nurses, and the Florence Nightingale Medal and is the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve.

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on her birthday.

Grab your lights and shine away this evening.

Articles from the Nursing Times – written by Steve Ford,

Daily mail, and the NHS.