To those in the nursing field, the nurse symbol signifies an accomplishment of finishing nursing school. It has stood as being a symbolic representation of caring in the nursing, and health care field in general, for almost a century. The registered nurse symbol is ever present in nursing school and inside the profession as a whole. But do you know what the registered nurse symbol is and what it stands for?
The ever present nurse symbol in registered nursing school is displayed in the profession as a whole. But who knows what the nurse symbol really is? We do, so keep reading.
The symbolic representation of two intertwined snakes appeared early in Babylonia and is related to other serpent symbols of fertility, wisdom, and healing, and of sun gods. The staff of Hermes was carried by Greek ambassadors and heralds and became a Roman mark for truce, neutrality, and noncombatant status.
By regulation it has been the insignia with the healthcare branch in the U.S. Army. The caduceus is much used like a symbolic representation of commerce, the postal service, and ambassadorial positions and since the 16th cent. has really replaced the one-snake symbolic representation of Asclepius as being an image of medicine.
Some people see the 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 the connotation it may be perceived as, the public at large considers the nurse symbol as a good sign or image.
Consequently stands as a good symbolic representation for them and sense of comfort. We registered nurses do not 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 magic wand or caduceus of the Greek god Hermes (Roman Mercury), messenger of the gods, inventor of (magical) incantations, conductor of the dead and protector of thieves and merchants. It's derived from the Greek karykeion = "herald's staff", it was based on the word "eruko" meaning control, restrain.
The nurse symbol or caduceus is used by other types of organizations, these are generally commercial or military in the U.S. Countries like New Zealand uses include pharmaceutical companies. A study confirmed that the connection of the caduceus and medicine was solidified around the 7th century A.D.
The link between the caduceus of Hermes (Mercury) and medicine seems to have come about by the seventh century A.D., when Hermes had come to be linked with alchemy. Alchemists were referred to as the sons of Hermes, as Hermetists or Hermeticists and as "practitioners of the hermetic arts". There are occult associations with the caduceus.
The caduceus, or nurse symbol, was the magic staff of Hermes (Mercury), the god of commerce, eloquence, invention, travel and theft, and so was a symbol of heralds and commerce, not medicine. The words caduity & caduceus imply temporality, perishable and senility, while the medical profession espouses renewal, vitality and health.
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