It is not uncommon for Memorial Hospital staff to be asked why there is a lamp in the logo. In fact many employees at Memorial have asked the same question themselves. "Why is there a genie lamp in the logo?" The answer is, because of this woman, Florence Nightingale.
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy on May 12, 1820. She is considered the founder of nursing. During the Crimean War, she trained a crew of nurses under her and organized the treatment of the wounded and the dying. When the nurses arrived at the hospital to care for the injured they faced other issues such as rodents, unsanitary conditions, dirty water, and lack of supplies. Nightingale made sure the entire facility was scrubbed from top to bottom to improve the conditions and instituted the installment of a kitchen, laundry system, classroom, and library. During all hours of the night she could be seen caring to patients by lamp, therefore giving her the name “Lady with the Lamp”.
Nightingales compassion and skills during that time were recognized by many. The value and importance of nurses became evident as a result of their service during the war. Nightingale became so recognized that the Queen rewarded her work by presenting her with an engraved brooch known as the "Nightingale Jewel." Nightingale also received $250,000 from the British government. In 1860, Nightingale used the award to establish a training system for nurses and found a nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, England. Nightingale contributed many writings during her career to the nursing field and set the stage that women could do more than just marry and have children.
The lamp depicted in the Memorial Hospital logo is a tribute to the founder of nursing. Since Nightingale's days the healthcare field has seen many improvements and advancements in technology, but the values remain the same: A commitment to professional excellence in providing safe, quality healthcare, compassion and service to the patients.