Nursing is a calling, not an earning career

On Saturday, International Nurse’s Day was celebrated by members of that profession.

The fact is that many of them would have had little time to pat themselves on the backs as they were working shifts at hospitals and clinics.

And if they had been fortunate enough to have the ‘day off’, chances are they would have been busy giving advice or nursing care to some person or family in their community.

The date of the event, 12 May, is the day on which Florence Nightingale was born.

She was a heroine during the Crimean War in the 1850s, a pioneer reformer of health care services and nursing, and after whom a nursing school in her honour was opened at St Thomas Hospital in London.

Florence Nightingale epitomises the ethic and conscientiousness of the nursing profession.

And it is a profession; a nurse without the Florence Nightingale spirit is simply doing a job to earn a salary.

Nursing is not a career; it is a calling. Its ethics are rooted in the deep feelings of compassion aroused by the pain and suffering of others, and the desire to ease their burden.

The fact is, it is nurses, not doctors, who are at the heart of medical care and patient wellbeing.

They are at the coalface of patient care, contributing not only to their comfort, recovery and the regaining of health and strength, but also to the state of mind of the patient.

Their study and training schedule is a tough one as they advance through the various ranks of their vocation and keep up with best practice.

Nursing is, and has always been, a female dominated profession, but change in the numerical balance should be encouraged.

It is one of the toughest occupations there is, the long hours and often demanding duties calling for physical and mental strength and a great measure of accountability.

Despite often thankless and difficult patients, nurses must still treat them as well as their colleagues with dignity, kindness, respect and compassion.

This is not to be found on any job description, but lies at the heart of nurses’ caring.

While we salute our nursing heroes, it is also a good time to reflect on them as true role models, and ask why we perhaps give mindless adulation to many who have done little for their fellow man, other than rake in money with their talents.