This year has been designated as the 2010 International Year of the Nurse, in remembrance and celebration of the pioneering and visionary work of Florence Nightingale, who died 100 years ago. Nightingale lived until the age of 90 years, dedicating her life to nursing and health care. Known as “the lady with the lamp,” attending to and caring for victims of the Crimean War, Nightingale was also an environmentalist and a statistician. She emphasized the need to modify the environment to create positive health effects on patients. She was a scientist, concerned with data and evidence. She clearly was ahead of her time, envisioning nursing as an evidence-based health care discipline that must be concerned with the environment, both locally and globally. Specifically, Nightingale saw the need to create healing environments and she referred to the concept of “health nursing,” reflecting a focus on health promotion and disease prevention (2010 International Year of the Nurse Web site: http://www.2010iynurse.net/Florence_Nightingale.aspx).
The Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH), codirected by Drs. Deva-Marie Beck, Barbara Dossey, and Cynda Rushton, was established to create what are referred to as “21st Century Nightingales,” who will dedicate their work toward the goal of improving the health of communities across the globe. They are celebrating nursing's heritage as reflected in Florence Nightingale's memory and legacy and they are emphasizing collaborative work by nurses and other health care professionals in a shared commitment to creating a healthier world.
As part of the NIGH, the Nightingale Declaration Campaign (NDC) was created. This campaign is dedicated to carrying out several strategies to achieve specific outcomes, as outlined on their Web site (www.nightingaledeclaration.net/ndc). These outcomes/goals, as stated on this Web site, are the following:
1.Global commitment—of nurses—to create healthy communities around the world through nursing practices that reflect the principles and practices of Florence Nightingale.
2.Worldwide commitment—from all 192 UN member states—to celebrate the International Year of the Nurse throughout the year 2010 in their respective countries and regions, as well as globally.
3.A proactive grassroots-to-global plan—with specific national and regional action steps—to implement a series of projects targeted toward achieving “a healthy world by 2020.”
It is fitting that we pause to remember Florence Nightingale's visionary work as we, in the 21st century, are now embarking on new health care legislation. With our new health care legislation, we have increasing opportunities for nurses to play important roles in the direct provision of health care as well as in leadership in health care organizations. In addition, we will be increasing our emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, embracing a variety of health care modalities, and creating a stronger holistic and integrative approach to care. All of these factors are part of what Nightingale embraced in her vision of “health nursing.” And so it is fitting that we recognize the life of Florence Nightingale, not only because it is the centennial of her death but also because her vision for nursing and health care is vibrant and relevant.
As I have reviewed some of the history and life of Florence Nightingale as well as the new health care legislation, it is striking to me how strongly Nightingale's work is reflected in some of this legislation. It is heartening that the role of nursing is strongly embraced in the legislation. With this legislation, we need a significant increase in the number of health care providers and we need a much stronger focus on holistic/integrative health and health promotion. Nurses are in pivotal positions to fill these needs, and 2010 is a key year for us to make a difference in the health of the community. The NIGH is concerned with global health and as we, in the United States, embrace the new health care legislation in our country, we must continue to take a global perspective on health and health care.
2010 is the centennial of the death of Florence Nightingale. Through the NIGH and the NDC, we are remembering this nursing pioneer. In the United States, with new health care legislation, we, as nurses, are poised to make an important and lasting impact on health and health care. As we celebrate the life of Florence Nightingale, we can celebrate our nursing profession. To celebrate, we must continue to be informed and aware of health policy and legislation and we need to translate this information to the bedside, to clinics, schools, and communities in order to strengthen the role and effectiveness of the nurse as a key provider of health care.
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