The Lady With the Lamp REMEMBERING FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE DURING NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May is a particularly special month for nurses everywhere. May 6–12 is National Nurses Week, which is an opportunity to celebrate the 4 million registered nurses who work tirelessly day in and day out around the country. While it is a week to appreciate all nurses, the week also contains days that honor school nurses and student nurses specifically. The reason National Nurses Week is observed in May is the day on which the week ends: May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who, among other accomplishments, founded the modern nursing profession. Her basic concepts of nursing remain foundational in nursing today. Florence Nightingale was born into a wealthy British family in 1820. When she was 16, she felt called to serve humankind through nursing, against her parents’ wishes. At that time, nursing was not a highly regarded vocation for an upper-class woman. But Nightingale persisted, and in 1844, she enrolled in a nursing program in Kaiserwerth, Germany. She eventually became a nurse at a hospital in London in the early 1850s and became a nursing superintendent in less than a year. When the Crimean War began in 1853, Nightingale led an expedition to a hospital near Istanbul to improve the sanitation conditions, where more soldiers were dying from disease than from wounds sustained in battle. Initially not welcomed by army doctors, Nightingale worked tirelessly to obtain supplies and care for wounded soldiers. She significantly reduced death rates at the hospital through her efforts. The soldiers called her “the lady with the lamp” and “the angel of Crimea,” and these venerable monikers followed her for the rest of her life. When Nightingale returned home, she received a hero’s welcome from the British government in the form of an engraved broach and a sum equal to $250,000. She used the money to establish St. Thomas’ Hospital and the Nightingale Training School for Nurses, elevating the status of nursing to a desirable profession among wealthy young women. Throughout the rest of her life, she received world renown for her strides in the healthcare industry, and she was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit from King Edward. She died in 1910 and was buried in her family’s plot.
campaign. If you want to stay closer to home, check out your local homeowners association. There are plenty of ways to engage with like-minded people while making a difference. Try Something New Don’t know where to start when looking for a group to join? Start online! Try searching “groups for retirees” and see what comes up. You might discover a travel group and start planning your trip to Asia. Or maybe you’ll have more fun mentoring young people in your professional field. Don’t be afraid to spend your retirement doing something new!
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your alone time, but don’t let your alone time turn into a lonely
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STRAWBERRY MANGO PALETAS Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine
INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/4 cups strawberries, chopped • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium ripe
mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a saucepan, toss strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 2. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cook strawberries until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove fromheat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let cool completely, about 45 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in a blender, purée mangoes with 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Scrape into a mediumbowl and clean the blender. Then, purée strawberry mixture until smooth. 5. Into 8 3-ounce ice popmolds, spoon 2 tablespoons mango purée. Add 2 tablespoons strawberry purée to eachmold, then top with remainingmango purée, leaving 1/2 inch between filling and top of mold. 6. Using a small knife, gently swirl layers together. 7. Insert ice pop sticks and freeze until solid. 8. Dipmolds in hot water for a few seconds, then unmold paletas and serve immediately.
Florence Nightingale’s efforts made nursing what it is today, and she continues to be an example for everyone in the nursing profession.
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