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.