July 12, 2010

Yesterday was an amazing "Florence Nightingale" Day. We started with time in the Gordon Museum, located in Guy's Hospital, which houses the world's oldest pathology specimens used continuously for teaching healthcare students. It contains wax models that were created in the mid 1700s and have been in use ever since. It was an amazing place and a special treat to be able to see it while students were using it as they prepared for final exams. We then went on to tour St. Thomas Hospital, where The Nightingale School of Nursing was established following Florence Nightingale's work in the Crimea. The old part of the hospital remains much as it was in Florence Nightingale's day, with special attention to air flow, light and space. While corridors may not meet modern standards, they were certainly spacious for their day, and the many windows allowed for both light and fresh air for the patients. Dr. Louise Selanders, RN, who is a fount of information, took us on a walking tour that included many streets which were frequented by Nightingale, we were also able to see the statue erected to honor her, which is one of only two statues of non-royal women in all of London. Tomorrow we leave for Embly Park, which was the ancestral Nightingale home - a special treat to be part of a special lecture series established to honor the centennial of Florence Nightingale’s death.

Judee
Judith. G. Berg, RN, MS, FACHE
Vice President, Professional Services
Gannett Healthcare Group