By Lookout Staff

August 13, 2010 -- Saint John’s Health Center will host an exhibit of original, handwritten letters by Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing.

The exhibit, which will take place on August 24 and August 25 in the atrium of the hospital’s Howard Keck Center, marks the first time the letters will be displayed at a hospital.

“Saint John’s and Florence Nightingale have a lot in common,” hospital officials wrote in a statement. “Both can trace their commitment to compassionate care to the mid-1800s and both have a long legacy of nursing excellence.”

In 1860, Nightingale, who was a prolific letter writer, laid the foundation of professional nursing when she established her own nursing school. Four years later, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, who founded Saint John’s more than 60 years ago, opened the first private hospital in Kansas, with the first trained nurse in the state.

“Our nurses pride themselves with providing the most companionate and advanced care for our patients,” said Donna Hendel, RN, Interim Chief of Nursing at Saint John’s. “They uphold the same dedication to their work as Florence Nightingale did so many years ago and their commitment to patient care would make her proud if she was alive today.”

The traveling exhibit is sponsored by NurseWeek, in partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future, a multi-year national initiative designed to enhance the image of the nursing profession, recruit new nurses and retain existing nurses.

The exhibit will be open to the public on Tuesday, August 24 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, August 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.