‘I left Westminster Abbey with a great deal of pride in being a nurse’ | Nursing Times

I felt a profound sense of humility and reverence as I entered the Abbey through its historic doors, surrounded by centuries of tradition. I was deeply moved by the combination of the setting’s grandeur, the architecture’s intricate beauty, and the choir’s heavenly sound resonating throughout the hallowed space.

“It was a time of honour, inspiration, and collective remembrance rather than merely a service”

I was overcome with a range of emotions as the service started, including pride in belonging to a profession that has always been at the forefront of compassion and care, as well as sadness for the nurses who had died during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Crimean War.

I started crying as I watched the candles flicker, the names read solemnly, and the remembrance of those who served and gave their lives. It served as a reminder that the foundation of our work is a legacy of bravery, tenacity, and humanity.

It was a time of honour, inspiration, and collective remembrance rather than merely a service. Sitting among hundreds of other nurses, midwives, leaders, and students from all over the nation gave me a fresh sense of purpose.

Ruth May, Duncan Burton, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Dr Aisha Holloway, director of the Nursing Now programme, whose presence was particularly significant to me because of my involvement in the programme, were among the most prestigious figures in nursing and midwifery leadership, and it was an absolute privilege to see and engage with them.

Additionally, I got to meet and watch CEOs, directors, and trustees from nursing and midwifery trusts, nonprofit organisations, and educational institutions whose work continues to influence the field for coming generations. Being with them and knowing that my voice, goals, and contribution are valued as a student was immensely reassuring.

Leaders from diaspora nursing and midwifery groups, who tirelessly support internationally educated nurses and midwives like me working throughout the UK were also present at the service. Their efforts to promote community and inclusion within the NHS are crucial and commendable.

As I heard some of the speeches during the service, something inside me was stirred. Kindness, service, and compassion were recurrent themes that resonated deeply with me. It made me recall the reason I initially chose nursing: to provide compassionate care and be there for people in their hour of greatest need.

We frequently lose sight of the passion that drives the profession in the midst of the chaos of our daily responsibilities, which are overtaken by clinical tasks, computer documentation, and performance metrics.

But this service was a breath of fresh air, a moral, spiritual, and emotional reset that helped me reconnect with my roots and the essence of my identity and work. I had never been to this annual event before, and I was blown away by everything about it, including the atmosphere, the grandeur, the setting’s solemnity, the carefully orchestrated processions, and the stirring hymns.

I was excited for my future as a midwife and left the Abbey with a great deal of pride in being a nurse. I was happy and hopeful to see so many young student nurses and midwives present.

Since they are the future of healthcare, their presence emphasised the value of supporting and uplifting the upcoming generation of health professionals.

I have nothing but praise for the Florence Nightingale Foundation Commemorative Service. This should happen to every nurse and midwife at least once in their lives.

It is more than simply a tribute; it is a celebration of our common identity, a reminder of our calling, and evidence of the lasting significance of our work. I’m already excited to go again the following year, bringing with me the pride and inspiration this day has given me.

Sana Gul is a third-year midwifery student at the University of the Birmingham and Nursing Times student editor 2024-25