So What Is The Registered Nurse Symbol And What Does It Mean?
In the nursing field the registered nurse symbol is used to display the accomplishment of completing nursing school. It has come to be a symbolic representation of how the nursing profession, and healthcare in general, is a caring and nurturing one for over the last century. The ever present registered nurse symbol in nursing school is displayed in the profession as a whole. But who knows what the registered nurse symbol really is? We do, so keep reading.
The registered nurse symbol, originally known as the Caduceus is a staff that was according to legend carried by the roman god messenger Hermes. This staff was topped with a pair of wings and had two winding serpents around it.
The symbol of the two snaked staff arose in early Babylonia and was thought to be related to other serpent symbols of wisdom, healing, fertility and also of the sun gods. Greek heralds carried this staff as well as ambassadors which was meant to convey Roman neutrality.
This symbol has been the insignia of the healthcare branch of the U.S. Army since 1902. The registered nurse symbol, or caduceus, is much used for this purpose much like any other symbol would be used for services such as the Postal Service, commerce or ambassador positions. Since the 16th Century it has replaced the Asclepius one serpent symbol as the image of choice for medicine.
Some people see the registered nurse symbol or Caduceus as a negative symbol for the profession, but even still, it’s a positive symbol of caring for those of us in the profession. No matter what the registered nurse symbol might seem like to others, to the common public it still remains a image from the nursing and medical fields in general, and consequently stands as a positive symbolic representation for them and a sense of comfort.
This goes on to give the public a comforting feeling as they know how it is linked to healthcare in general. We nurses don’t look at it and think of the negative connotations associated with it from ancient mythology, we regard it as being a image of pride.
Many “medical” organizations use a registered nurse symbol of a short rod entwined by two snakes and topped by a pair of wings, which is actually the caduceus or magic wand of the Greek god Hermes (Roman Mercury), messenger of the gods, inventor of (magical) incantations, conductor of the dead and protector of merchants and thieves.
It is interesting to see that most of organizations using this registered nurse symbol are generally either commercial or military (or American). New Zealand examples include drug and pharmaceutical companies. A study confirmed that the connection of the caduceus and medicine was solidified around the 7th century A.D. A study by Friedlander confirms this impression.
This was around the time Hermes had come to be associated with the study of alchemy. Alchemists were referred to as sons of Hermes, or hermeticists. Cult associations can be found linked to the registered nurse symbol otherwise known as the caduceus.
The magic staff of Mercury, otherwise known as Hermes, was the Caduceus. The words caducity & caduceus imply temporality, perishable and senility, while the medical profession espouses renewal, vitality and health. That’s what the registered nurse symbol stands for today.
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