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Moving beyond one week of celebration.... |
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The fanfare is over but nursing’s work continues, every day of every year. This year, we’ve celebrated Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12th and International Nurses Week better than ever before.
And, now we need to work toward sustaining nursing’s voice—toward a 2010 International Year of the Nurse and even beyond that, toward a 2011-2020 global Decade for a Healthy World. Please sign the Nightingale Declaration. This one action, taken by you and so many, many others, continues to build momentum throughout the world.
This Declaration begins with “We the nurses and concerned citizens of the global community.” All nurses, student nurses, nursing educators and leaders, all those, who are engaged in health care — as well as everyone, who appreciates what nurses bring to the world—are very welcome to participate.
Near the end of her career, Florence Nightingale reflected, “In the future which I will not see, for I am old, may a better way be opened!” May the methods by which every infant, every human being will have the best chance at health… be learned and practiced.” [Sick-Nursing and Health-Nursing, Florence Nightingale, 1893]
This website has been created to answer Nightingale’s call for that “better way.”
Nightingale would have loved the Internet and email! We know that more than 14,000 of Nightingale’s letters still exist in collections around the world. She was a terrific networker, connecting with friends and colleagues everywhere. She corresponded with activists, philanthropists, social scientists, educators and journalists -- as well as the nurses -- across the world. As she wrote her letters, she shifted public opinion, influencing local, national and global leaders. She saw her networking as one of her most important “nursing” roles.
Today — as we network on the Internet — we have such an opportunity to let nursing’s voice be heard. As each of us signs the Nightingale Declaration, we are joining a groundswell of people committed to caring about the health of people.
Already, during the first three months online, more than 40 nations, across all 6 continents, have been represented on this website. Signing nursing communities and associations already represent constituencies beyond a million. As you sign the Nightingale Declaration, you are adding your voice to call for valuing the work of nurses—every day of every year. Across the earth, we are together building that ”future” Nightingale envisioned.
Thank you to all who have already signed. Remembering the success of Nightingale’s own networking endeavors, please share this opportunity with everyone in your professional and personal networks. At this website -- and as each person signs the Nightingale Declaration – all of us are committed to sustaining your wonderful efforts and to achieving Nightingale’s “better way.”
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