Analysis of Roxanne Nelson's April 29, 2003 article in The Washington Post
By Maryann Fralic, RN, DrPH, Professor of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
The Washington Post article does a huge disservice to nursing.
Author Roxanne Nelson presents the displacement of Florence Nightingale
as a role model as a powerful recommendation based on one feisty
UK labor union wanting to overthrow her. What esteemed profession
does not respect and value their founders? Celebrating your history
does not mean that you solely celebrate the contemporary. It
is not an "either or" proposition.
And, what leader of any profession does not have some personal
flaws -- they are all humans doing extraordinary work in difficult
times. Who of us could pass the scrutiny of centuries of aggressive
biographers and scholars? To discount Nightingale's proven
phenomenal contributions and groundbreaking foundational work
to create a profession is diminishing to us all.