Happy Nurse's Week!

In thinking about National Nurse's Week, next week, I have been reflecting back to Florence Nightingale and how the nursing profession evolved. Boy, has it ever changed in just the last 20 years!
When I graduated nursing school, we still had the caps and white uniforms, and hardly a school issues caps anymore. I understand the whole theory about being more modern, and even the infection control risks with caps. However, to be given those stripes to add to those caps meant something, and we wore them with pride, and do you remember the first time you signed your name with R.N. behind it? I do, and the sense of accomplishment was like no other.
Even though nursing schools and facilities do not adhere to the traditional uniforms anymore, we as nurses, should never falter in taking our profession just as seriously. The most recent gallop polls still rank nursing as the most trusted profession based on honesty and ethical standards. Wow, that's alot to live up to!
Here at NTTS, we salute our nurses, and we thank them for keeping both company and professional nursing standards. Our nurses are what enables us to continue to provide quality patient care. We also never cease to salute our first nursing leader.....

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.

Thank you Florence Nightingale for all you did to help us become a profession to be proud of, and thank you NTTS nurses for the quality care you provide every day!
Happy Nurses Week!