Do we have an oath for nurses I don't know about?

Killer nurse on TV's "Criminal Minds"

So did anyone watch this new show tonight? The new "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" that had a killer nurse on a rampage. Anyway, I was curious to know if any nurses out there swore an oath to care for patients. Forrest Whitaker's character said something about nurses having sworn an oath to care for people and I thought that was odd since I never knew we had an oath. I mean, I know about the Hippocratic oath but I always thought it was for physicians.

Do we have an oath for nurses I don't know about? Last edit by NRSKarenRN on Mar 3, '11 : Reason: clarified content thread
Been doing this 23 yrs..never had any oath! TV likes to make the public believe things!

Yeah... no oath. Just peace of mind.

Nurses have the Nightingale Pledge. We recited it at my graduation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightingale_PledgeThe version we recited was a little different than that one, but the same gist.

I have never heard of the "Nightingale pledge". Certainly not something that was addressed when I qualified as an RN in1987, just an honor system of "first do no harm" as an advocate for the patient.Out of interest, did Florence ask her team of nurses to take the "Nightingale pledge"?

no oath, no pledge, nothing

Hahaha.. I think it was just something that was made up later on down the line.You do know what our international symbol is, right?

I haven't ever heard about this "oath" I mean we are taught throughout school for the do no harm, but no oath....wow this woman was very nutty on that show....Lopping off tongues on an awake person..ew! sick and wrong...

recited nightingale pledge as lpn 77 and rn 82 as part of pinning ceremony.see previous threads on a more modern versions:looking for nightingale pledge alternative (204645) - nursing for ...

Quote from idahostudent2011I haven't ever heard about this "oath" I mean we are taught throughout school for the do no harm, but no oath....wow this woman was very nutty on that show....Lopping off tongues on an awake person..ew! sick and wrong...

The Nightengale Pledge is not new and it is said at most graduation/pinning ceremonies, you may have forgotten it being so excited! We did it with candles and everything, very beautiful and inspirational.Here's a link that sheds light...hope this helpshttp://www.countryjoe.com/nightingale/pledge.htmhttp://www.countryjoe.com/nightingale/pledge.htm

If TV was real it wouldn't be on TV.

I remember the Nightingale Pledge at our pinning ceremony in 1990. Like someone else said, we had lit candles and it was held in a pretty little Methodist church. I remember it was very nice and helped me to remember how being a patient advocate and an upstanding citizen would be important as people look at nurses in a special way.