Our first year nursing students received their nursing caps. This is an official ceremony with speeches, the putting on of their nursing caps and taking the oath of Florence Nightingale. As medical director I was invited to the ceremony and asked to give the speech. In a land such as Bangladesh where nurses are not often appreciated, it is important for me to stress that without the nurses we doctors cannot do our work.

After the ceremony we put their nursing caps on.

The students surrounded the directors and pledged the Florence Nightingale oath.

The Florence Nightingale oath, written in 1893, was the first professional code for nurses:

'I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician, in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.'

This is a special moment in the education of our nurses. Now they are allowed to work in the hospital and carry a small amount or responsibility.

Meanwhile the rainy season has started. It began calmly with a shower or two, but the last 2 days we have had almost continuous rain and the water level around us is rising.

Taken this morning, this pictures shows the back courtyard on the hospital:

This is the front courtyard where the vehicles are usually parked.

This picture was from earlier this week. The bike riksja’s are covered with plastic to try and keep them dry.

The coming of the rainy season means it is time to plant the rice. In this picture a group of men are planting rice. This is a clear example of how many hands make the work go faster! 10 men can plant the rice field within 30 minutes.

Last week I spent the weekend in Dhaka. Here I am always on call for surgery cases and then I try to get away once every 6 weeks. I can stay with a friend in Dhaka. Within a 30 minute drive from us there is an airport and than an hour flight naar Dhaka. The alternative is an 8-9 hour bus or train ride.

From the airplane you can see just how wet Bangladesh is in the rainy season!

I’ll keep you all informed!