Introduction
Since the old days, the practice of medicine has had its advantages and disadvantages. The evolution of medicine brought about rules and regulations. The Greek, for instance, could take what they called a Hippocratic Oath before venturing into the medical career. It is Hippocrates who invented the oath. Medicine in the Western countries started many years ago. It was a promise made to all the gods and goddesses of Greece ever existed, that the physician could carry out the work as service to the gods. To date, modern day doctors have to pronounce the Hippocratic Oath in whatever modernized way each institution has made.
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It is a result of this, that history credits Mrs. Lystra Gretter for leading the way in forming the oath. At a Nursing College in Detroit, they came up with the Nightingale pledge. And in order to honor Florence for her great service to others. They first used it in 1893 and after that became the main oath for the nurses.
Florence Nightingale, born on 12th May 1820, had become the founder of the modern nursing career. Her great contribution to modern day nursing, through her selfless service to soldiers in war-torn areas and hospitals, had earned her a name in the society. The Council of Nurses had to come up with a statement that binds them together as workers, just like the doctors.
The oath became a must sort of the pledge of allegiance. Historically, most nursing institutions adopted it and began to use it as a rule for all nurses. It plays a significant role in the medicine sector. Once a medical practitioner knows that he or she is doing an excellent service to himself, to others and God, one works hard towards attaining success.
It also acts as a code of ethics. People come from different backgrounds. When they visit hospitals, they expect the nurses who attend to them without having any malpractice. The nurses must ensure that they prescribe and give the right medication.
There is a right to privacy. The pledge becomes embodied in the nurses’ profession that in doing their work they have to keep patient’s matters confidential. When attending to a client, the nurses have to ensure that they store and keep their client’s records and secrets safely (Zbar, 1995).
People have a right to proper health information and treatment. Nurses promise to practice their profession faithfully. This means that they have to administer their work with dignity. They do not need to have a close observation from their superiors to do their work, since it is their duty.
The oath also required them to avoid any behavior that would cause harm to the others. Their medical profession involves dealing with very delicate matters, sensitive patients and drugs that need proper prescription. Sometimes they meet clients who may not like them. Other times they meet clients who have problems with communication. They must always observe their code of ethics and remain calm to assist customers.
The Hippocratic Oath declared allegiance to the gods. Hippocrates, a Greek, believed that the gods would watch over his work and heal the sick. The Nightingale Pledge was made to refer to God as a witness of the work of nurses’ work. The belief that God was seeing their work could make the nurses know that their work got inspiration from God. Since Florence Nightingale was a Christian, the pledge might have gained acceptance due to that belief.
Nightingale was a working as a Christian nurse. She wanted to make sure that her patients got the best she could give them. It was an inspiration by the supernatural power of God. She devoted to that service because she claimed that God had called her to serve. The pledge, therefore, in reference to God, helps the nurses to help as if they are fulfilling God’s will for their patients (Mezey, 2001).
Her contributions towards improving the modern nursing saw her leave behind a beautiful legacy. The International Nurses Day is celebrated every year in her honor on her birthday. She led to the improvement of healthcare in all areas of the British society. She worked to improve hunger relief for India. She also helped to remove harsh prostitution laws that were discriminating towards women. Her contribution also saw women getting a chance in the workforce.
After attaining the nursing profession, she went on to become a teacher too. Even when her parents never wanted her to be a nurse she took it as a calling from God. She became a leader of various institutions of nursing and provided better training for the nurses. Her students went on to become better and recognized nurses all over the world.
She was also a writer. Perhaps this explains why her work got the attention of the world. Even though she never published them, they were published after her demise. From her writings, one can be able to notice her passion for the nursing career.
The acceptance of this pledge by many Nursing Institutions indicated that a majority of the Nursing institutions believed in Nightingale’s work. Her name has attained the honor in many schools, parks, buildings, and roads. The pledge then became a bond to unite them with her mission through the nurses.
If one vows to do all that is in his or her power to elevate the standard of the chosen profession, one will provide the best service. It means that the person promises to work hard to promote one’s work. He or she will also work very hard to reach the limits of one’s goals.
Many soldiers believed that people died from the wounds. But Nightingale helped the administration to understand that sanitation was causing all the deaths. Lack of space in the camps made many to have breathing problems.
The pledge enables one to work and identify potential areas of weaknesses. Once one puts all efforts towards attaining excellence, it becomes easy to help to solve societal problems. Prevention of diseases can be done by providing better sanitation in the environment. As Nightingale did, all should strive to act in accordance with what one understands to be good practice.
There have been numerous calls for a change in the pledge. For instance, some people have been of the view that swearing to God violates the rights of other faiths and non-religious people. As a result, some institutions have had to change that part to their varied translations.
Some people also would not want to swear or pledge. When one feels that one has to pledge to a particular deity, it creates fear. One may be willing to serve and follow all the requirements for work, but not to pledge.
The critiques come from varied backgrounds. They have their different view that needs to earn respect. It is a right of everyone to provide their opinion that help to accommodate everyone.
Another part that has gained much criticism is the pledge to aid the physician in his work. Feminists believe that this is an attack on the female gender. In contemporary society, a physician is not just of a particular gender.
They argue that the pledge seems to elevate men and discourage ladies from achieving higher goals in medicine. As a result, there have been some adjustments by various institutions. They have had to reframe it, in a way that it appreciates all genders. It has led to full acceptance by a majority of the people (Miracle, 2009).
People should not consider nursing as a profession that is just for women. Since Nightingale was a woman, she only helped to pioneer modern nursing. The physician or a doctor is not also a preserve for men. Due to laws that have come to empower all gender to fulfill their goals, it’s a free for all affairs.
A pledge is meant to be a unifying call to address the societal needs. As the society grows, and people change, many things have to change to adapt to the system. Very many practices of our olden days have had to change. The one gender rule of the past has had to come to terms with the modern times. Florence was also a celebrated social reformer of her times in the English society. Due to her modernization of the nursing career many things have changed.
The Nightingale Pledge helps one to find good arguments about service. Nursing is a service industry. Whether there is a pledge or not, one must seek to put in all that is necessary and possible to create a better environment for others.
Nursing must be a calling. The pledge only aims to instill discipline, honesty, and hard work. The honor bestowed upon Florence helps nurses to know why they are in the service.
Conclusion
Arguments about the gender aspects of the oath must only seek to inspire, but not to discourage. The honor for God was only supposed to help nurses have faith in their work as they would for God. The best way to understand the pledge is to honor it and live to fulfill the promise.
References
Mezey, M. D. (Ed.). (2001). The encyclopedia of elder care: The comprehensive resource on geriatric and social care. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Miracle, V. (2009). National Nurses Week and the Nightingale Pledge. Dimensions Of Critical Care Nursing, 28(3), 145-146.
Zbar, R. I. S. (1995). Autobiography of a face [Review of the book Autobiography of a face, by L. Grealy]. The New England Journal of Medicine, 333(14), 949.