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Nursing's identity
Nurses' badges have existed in various forms for hundreds of years. With recent changes in the structure of nurse education, the tradition of presenting all newly qualified nurses with a distinctive badge appears to be on the wane. This paper briefly investigates the history of the badges, their purpose, evolution and possible extinction.
Few nurses of a certain age will forget the profound sense of achievement they felt when presented with their 'Hospital' or 'State' badges, having successfully completed their prescribed period of nurse training. The badge, and to a certain extent, the buckle, represented the skill, training and competence of the wearer. It indicated that the wearer had reached a certain recognised standard in their chosen field. The badge also demonstrated allegiance to the issuing body; as McFarlane1 noted, the badge has definite meaning for both the wearer and the observer.
Each institution presenting their alumni with a badge stipulated their own criteria for its award. These ranged from statutory bodies - for example the General Nursing Councils, the British Orthopaedic Association, the Central Midwives Board and the Ophthalmic Nursing Board all of whom presented their badges to nurses successfully completing a relevant period of training - to the numerous hospitals, clinics and other institutions presenting badges. Some were automatically awarded, but many others required the nurse to pass an additional hospital-based exam `the Hospitals' - before receiving the badge. There is much anecdotal evidence to support the argument that many nurses feared `the Hospitals' more than the crucial state final examination for fear of not receiving their coveted badges. Many organisations engraved the recipient's name, registration number and training dates on the reverse of the badge. In many cases this simple act increased the sense of personal achievement of the nurse wearing it: for the nurse it became 'my' badge.
There is some dispute about the origins of the nurse's badge, but a study of mediaeval monastic orders reveals that many congregations of religious sisters and brethren wore the distinctive medallion of their order attached to their habit, thus indicating their spiritual allegiance. One example of this is the insignia of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a form of which is still presented to its members...