Florence Nightingale Medal

 Who is it for ?  

• For qualified male or female nurses and also

• for male or female voluntary nursing aides who are active members or regular helpers of a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society or of an affiliated medical or nursing institution.

 What is it for ?  

To honour those persons who have distinguished themselves in times of peace or war by:

• exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled or to civilian victims of a conflict or disaster,

• exemplary services or a creative and pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education.

The Medal may be awarded posthumously if the prospective recipient has fallen on active service.

 How to apply ?  

Submit to the International Committee of the Red Cross, by means of the application forms sent to the Central Committees of the National Societies, at the beginning of the September preceding the Award (12 May of every second year),

• the names of the candidates presented and recommended by the Central Committe es of the National Societies.

Regulations for the Florence Nightingale Medal  

Following the postponement of the 26th International Conference, the Council of Delegates, meeting in Budapest in November 1991, adopted the amended version of the Regulations for the Florence Nightingale Medal.

The amended text redefines the criteria for the award of the medal and does away with the adverse distinction drawn between men and women exercising the same profession. Indeed, until the Regulations were amended, the medal could be awarded exclusively to women.

On 31 January 1992, the ICRC submitted the revised Regulations to the States party to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for their approval and set a deadline of six months for them to make known any objections, failing which the new Regulations would be considered as having been adopted.

As the deadline passed without any objections being raised, the revised Regulations came into force on 3 August 1992.

The new Regulations read as follows:

 amended text adopted by the Council of Delegates  (Budapest 1991)  

 Article 1  

 In accordance with the recommendation of the 8th International Conference of the Red Cross held in London in 1907, and the decision of the 9th International Conference held in Washington in 1912, a Fund was established by contributions from National Societies of the Red Cross in memory of the great and distinguished services of Florence Nightingale for the improvement of the care of wounded and sick.  

 The income of the Fund shall be used for the distribution of a Medal, to be called the "Florence Nightingale Medal", to honour the spirit which marked the whole life and work of Florence Nightingale.  

 Article 2  

 The Florence Nightingale Medal may be awarded to qualified male or female nurses and also to male or female voluntary nursing aides who are active members or regular helpers of a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society or of an affiliated medical or nursing institution.  

 The Medal may be awarded to those of the above-mentioned persons who have distinguished themselves in time of peace or war by:  

•  exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled or to civilian victims of a conflict or disaster,  

•  exemplary services or a creative and pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education.  

 The Medal may be awarded posthumously if the prospective recipient has fallen on active service.  

 Article 3  

 The Medal shall be awarded by the International Committee of the Red Cross on proposals made to it by National Societies.  

 Article 4  

 The Medal shall be in silver-gilt with a portrait on the obverse of Florence Nightingale with the words "Ad memoriam Florence Nightingale 1820-1910". On the reverse it shall bear the inscription on the circumference "Pro vera misericordia et cara humanitate perennis decor universalis". The name of the holder and the date of the award of the Medal shall be engraved in the centre.   

 The Medal shall be attached by a red and white ribbon to a laurel crown surrounding a red cross.    

 The Medal shall be accompanied by a diploma on parchment.  

 Article 5  

 The Medal shall be presented in each country either by the Head of the State, or by the President of the Central Committee of the National Society directly or by their substitutes.  

The ceremony shall take place with a solemnity consistent with the distinction of the honour conferred.

 Article 6  

 The distribution of the Florence Nightingale Medal shall take place every two years.  

 Not more than 50 Medals may be issued at any one distribution.  

 If by reason of exceptional circumstances due to a widespead state of war it has been impossible for one or more distributions to take place, the number of Medals awarded at subsequent distributions may exceed the figure of 50 but may not exceed the trotal number which would normally have been attained, if the preceding distributions had been able to take place.   

 Article 7  

 From the beginning of September of the year preceding the year in which the Medal is awarded, the International Committee of the Red Cross shall invite the Central Committees of the National Societies by means of a circular and application forms to submit the names of the candidates they consider qualified to be awarded a Medal, in accordance with the conditions mentioned in Article 2.  

 Article 8  

 The Central Committees of the National Societies, having taken all requisite advice, shall submit to the International Committee of the Red Cross the names and qualifications of the candidates they propose.  

 To enable the International Committee to operate a fair selection, the candidates' names shall be accompanied by all relevant information justifying an award of the Medal, in accordance with the criteria mentioned in Article 2.     

 All applications submitted must come from the Central Committee of a National Society.  

 The Central Committees may submit one or more applications, but are not bound to submit applications for each distribution.  

 Article 9  

 The applications with the reasons in support of them must reach the International Committee of the Red Cross before 1 March of the year in which the award of the Medal is to take place.  

 Applications reaching the International Committee after that date cannot be considered except in connection with a subsequent award.  

 Article 10  

 The International Committee of the Red Cross retains complete freedom of choice. It may refrain from awarding the total number of Medals contemplated, if the qualifications of the applicants submitted do not appear to merit this distinguished honour.  

 Article 11  

 The International Committee of the Red Cross shall issue on the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, namely on 12 May, a circular informing the Central Committees of the National Societies of the names of those to whom the Medal has been awarded.  

 Article 12  

 The present Regulations, adopted by the Council of Delegates in Budapest in 1991, supersede all previous rules relating to the Florence Nightingale Medal, in particular those of the 9th International Conference (Washington, 1912), the Regulations of 24 December 1913 and the amendments to the latter by the 10th Conference (Geneva, 1921), the 13th Conference (The Hague, 1928), the 15th Conference (Tokyo 1934), the 18th Conference (Toronto, 1952) and the 24th Conference (Manila, 1981).