Typically, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer season, and Labor Day marks the end; however, the special holiday that starts summer means so much more than that. In the United States, Memorial Day (formerly known as Decoration Day) is an annual holiday that occurs on the final Monday of May, and its aim is to honor the men and woman who have died while in the military service. In keeping with the spirit of the holiday, everyone at Kaplan Nursing would love to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the men and women in uniform, but especially to our military nurses.
A U.S. Air Force nurse with the 133rd Air National Guard measures the vital signs of a patient being evacuated from a Houston, Texas, area hospital before Hurricane Rita heads inland.
The history of nursing is indelibly linked to war. The origins of nursing can be traced back to the Crusades, and in more modern times iconic nurses provide perspective on famous battlefields. From Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War, to Mary Todd Lincoln (former First Lady) in the Civil War, to “Hot Lips” Houlihan in MASH to Colleen McMurphy in China Beach, these figures, whether real or fictional, bind nursing to the front lines.
Let us also remember that the front line is not always the boundary between two warring countries. Only last week, the battlefield between man and nature collided at the many towns near the Oklahoma City metro area, a part of the country that has seen its share of tornadoes and devastating damage. Not only have the nurses in this area seen great tragedy, but their work has been impeded as the very hospital that is normally a source of comfort and protection has also been physically destroyed. For those who worked at Moore Medical Center, which took a direct hit on Monday, May 20th, and at other area hospitals their typical day-to-day rhythm was cracked when “Code Black” was declared in preparation of the oncoming storm.
Those who are trained in military nursing or are National Incident Management System (NIMS) certified are prepared for disasters such as this, but with every person they help and every injury they treat, the physical and mental toll can be overwhelming. How fitting then that we honor all military, but especially our military nurses as part of our Memorial Day celebrations.
