International Year of the Nurse Celebration draws crowd - PDF Article
By James Cummings
More than 150 past, present and future nurses gathered in Dayton on September 22 for the Dayton area observance of the 2010 International Year of the Nurse. Thanks to months of planning by the Zeta Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the event provided an elegant opportunity to local members of the nursing profession for “Honoring Our Past and Celebrating Our Future,” the theme of the evening.
Sponsors |
GOLD |
Kettering College |
Premier Health Partners |
WSU CoNH |
SILVER |
Clark State Community College |
BRONZE |
Atrium Medical Center |
Dayton Children's |
Greene Memorial Hospital |
Kettering Health Network |
Nurses all over the world have held observances of the International Year of the Nurse this year, the centennial year of the death of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). In Dayton, members of the Zeta Phi chapter, based in the Wright State University College of Nursing and Health, planned and hosted the celebration at the Top of the Market Banquet Center in Dayton. The banquet hall in a converted industrial space was decorated with strings of tiny lights draped in gold fabric running from the vaulted ceiling. As guests arrived, a harpist played a selection of popular tunes. There was an assortment of drinks and finger foods available including puffy crab cakes and savory meatballs.
Zeta Phi President, Brenda Stevenson, noted that this celebration is the first time in her experience that nurses in the greater Dayton area have gotten together to celebrate their profession. Dayton has a very rich history in nursing education and practice and it is good to remember that. It is also exciting to celebrate the future of professional nursing, especially the regional, national, and international leadership being provided by educational, service, and research organizations in the Dayton area.
Around the room were lovingly compiled history displays from Atrium Medical Center, Kettering College of Medical Arts, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Wright State University College of Nursing and Health, Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Alumni, Miami Valley Hospital School of Nursing Alumni, St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing Alumni, and the Zeta Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. Attendees spent the first half of the evening wandering among the displays perusing the photos, uniforms, documents and other artifacts depicting the histories of the institutions, some of which no longer exist. And there was plenty of living history on hand. Retired nurses, many of whom had not seen their former colleagues in years, got a chance to mingle with students just beginning their careers. Included in the crowd was one retired nurse in her 90s whose active career spanned more than 50 years.
Planning Committee |
Debi Sampsel, Chair
Beth Anderson
Sharon Dickman
Anna Jones
Pat O'Malley
Yevetta Rainey
Emily Skrobot
Brenda Stevenson
Audrey Taylor |
The evening ended with an exceptional performance by Kathy Duckett, a nurse and actress from Boston, who presented her acclaimed one-woman show based on the life of Florence Nightingale. Using simple costume adjustments and stage movements, Mrs. Duckett recreated Florence Nightingale’s life journey from her decision to enter nursing through her groundbreaking work in the Crimean war to her retirement years. In enthralled audience gave a standing ovation at the end of Mrs. Duckett’s performance.
The evening of fellowship ended with a round of applause for the organizers. Program Committee Chairperson, Debi Sampsel, thanked the members of her committee, the sponsors, and everyone in attendance for making the celebration a very memorable event.
