Nightingale Pledge

Nightingale Pledge

The Nightingale Pledge is a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath traditionally taken by new nurses. The pledge was named in honor of Florence Nightingale, a pioneer of modern nursing.

History

The Nightingale Pledge was composed by Lystra Gretter, an instructor of nursing at the old Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was first used by its graduating class in the spring of 1893. Gretter, inspired by the work of Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, sought to create a pledge that would establish a high ethical standard for the emerging nursing profession.

Content

The pledge reads as follows:

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.

Modern Use

While the Nightingale Pledge is still used in many nursing schools today, it has been modified and adapted to reflect modern values and the evolving nature of the nursing profession. Some nurses choose not to use the pledge at all, while others adapt it to fit their personal beliefs and professional values.

See Also

• Nursing ethics
• History of nursing
• Florence Nightingale

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