Florence Nightingale Medal

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Florence Nightingale Medal

The Florence Nightingale Medal is a medal donated in 1912 by the International Committee of the Red Cross .

Named after Florence Nightingale , a nursing pioneer , it is considered to be the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a trained nurse or volunteer nurse. The medal is awarded every two years. Until 1991, the medal was awarded exclusively to women; after a change in the statutes, men can also be awarded. Criteria are “extraordinary courage and dedication to the wounded, sick or disabled or civilian victims of a conflict or a disaster” or “exemplary performance or creative and pioneering commitment in the field of health care or nursing training”. By 2009 the medal was awarded to a total of 1337 people.

history

As early as 1907, at the 8th International Red Cross Conference in London, the Hungarian Red Cross suggested the award of a medal to Honored Nurses of the Red Cross. The IX. International Red Cross Conference in Washington in 1912 passed a resolution to establish a Florence Nightingale Fund. According to these statutes, only 6 (in times of great wars a maximum of 12) awards could be made. In June 1914, the National Red Cross Societies were asked to submit proposals for award. After the beginning of the First World War , however, the award was suspended until 1920. The first medals were not awarded until May 12, 1920, the 100th birthday of Florence Nightingale. Due to a change in the award conditions in 1929, the maximum number of women was increased to 18 (or 36). Since 1934, it has also been possible to honor candidates who have emerged through voluntary work on exceptional missions in times of war or national disasters. Awards were suspended again during the Second World War . In 1947, 71 candidates received a medal; they represented 19 national societies. The terms of the award were revised in 1952, 1981 and 1991 by the Council of Delegates of the Red Cross Movement. By 1970 618 medals had been awarded.

labeling

The medal bears the image of Nightingale as "Lady with the lamp" on the obverse. The inscription reads: Ad memoriam Florence Nightingale 1820–1910 .

The reverse also bears the inscription Pro vera misericordia et cara humanitate perennis decor universalis (German: "as an everlasting and all-round distinction for true charity and noble humanity").

Award winners (selection) and year of award

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ International Review of the Red Cross, November – December 1981
  2. ↑ Handbook of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, 14th Edition (2008)
  3. ↑ International Committee of the Red Cross: Florence Nightingale Medal , award criteria: “exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled or to civilian victims of a conflict or disaster”, “exemplary services or a creative and pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education ”.
  4. ↑ Florence Nightingale Medal: 2009 recipients (Engl.)
  5. ↑ What is the Florence Nightingale medal? In: International Review of the Red Cross, May 1970, p. 245.
  6. ↑ What is the Florence Nightingale medal? In: International Review of the Red Cross, May 1970, p. 246.
  7. ↑ Sigrid Schmidt-Meinecke: The call of the hour. Sisters under the Red Cross. Association of Superior Women in the German Red Cross, Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1963, part of the picture after page 80.
  8. ↑ Edda Liebold, Miss Elly at the Belziger Bahnhof in Belziger Heimatkalender 91, page 17