48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – Airmen and civilians of the 48th Medical Group browse items to buy at the Florence Nightingale Museum in London May 9, 2012. Over 40 Royal Air Force Lakenheath personnel went to London to visit the museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – Airman 1st Class Hyasmin Mendoza, 48th Aerospace Medical Squadron public health technician, looks at pictures at the Florence Nightingale Museum in London May 9, 2012. More than 40 Airmen and civilians from the 48th Medical Group went to London to visit the museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – Katie Edwards, Florence Nightingale Museum learning and access manager, educates Airmen and civilians of the 48th Medical Group on the life of Florence Nightingale at the museum in London May 9, 2012. More than 40 Royal Air Force Lakenheath personnel went to London to visit the museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – Senior Airman Miguel Guajardo, 48th Dental Squadron dental technician, looks at museum pieces at the Florence Nightingale Museum in London May 9, 2012. More than 40 Airmen and civilians from the 48th Medical Group went to London to visit the museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – Candles have been lit in preparation for a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey in London May 9, 2012. More than 40 Airmen and civilians from the 48th Medical Group participated in the service. The abbey was filled with approximately 3,000 people to include nurses, civilian and military, from all over the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – (left to right) Capt. Jill Lemieux, 48th Medical Operations Squadron emergency services staff nurse, Lt. Sarah Leatherman, 48th Medical Surgical Squadron clinical nurse and Capt. Zachery Kalinauskas, 48th MDOS family health nurse, look at the grave of the unknown warrior at Westminster Abbey in London May 9, 2012. Over 40 Airmen and civilians from the 48th Medical Group went to London to visit the Florence Nightingale museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG Airmen honor Florence Nightingale

LONDON, England – A nurse is depicted in a stained glass window of the Nurse’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey in London May 9, 2012. Over 40 Airmen and civilians from the 48th Medical Group went to London to visit the Florence Nightingale museum and participate in a service to commemorate the life of Florence Nightingale at Westminster Abbey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel)

48th MDG honors pioneer of nursing

Published May 14, 2012
By Senior Airman Tiffany M. Deuel
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- More than 40 nurses and other personnel from the 48th Medical Group attended a service in honor of Florence Nightingale, a celebrated English nurse who laid the foundation of professional nursing, at Westminster Abbey May 9, 2012.

Leading up to the ceremony at the abbey, the group visited the Florence Nightingale Museum to learn more about why she is so important to nursing history.

"She spent countless hours doing research to ensure that we provided the most efficient care for our patients," said Senior Airman Katadrian Handley, 48th Medical Surgical Squadron medical technician. "She was pioneer on nursing."

After browsing the history of Florence Nightingale, the group proceeded to Westminster Abbey to change into uniform and prepare for the ceremony. Some of the Airmen participated in the ceremony.

"I was one of the escorts and passed the collection bags," said Handley. "I was truly honored and overwhelmed."

The ceremony included the singing of hymns, words from the Reverend Professor Vernon White, Canon in Residence, the procession of the British Commonwealth Nurses' Roll of Honour, the procession of the lamp escorted by student nurses from the Liverpool John Moores University and more. It ended with the singing of the British National Anthem.

The service also allowed the Airmen to speak with other nurses from other services and countries, including civilian nurses from the states.

"I got to speak with the student nurses and we were just going back and forth, [expressing] interest in each other's jobs and stories," said Handley.

Capt. Steffanie Solberg, 48th MDG invention preventionist, who organized the trip, thought it was a success.

"This event was successful because it brought nurses from different backgrounds together to pay their mutual respects to Florence Nightingale and nursing as a profession," said Solberg. "Westminster Abbey was filled to capacity with nurses from the United States and all parts of the United Kingdom. This commemoration service reinvigorated the attendees' sense of nursing pride."

With the success of this year's event, Airmen like Handley are looking forward to the next trip.

"How they celebrate what we do [is] just overwhelming," she said. "I am truly proud of what I do. I am excited to see what next year brings."