---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing…"
description: "\"For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are go..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png"
---

#  For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in…

![“For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back. The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make.” quote by Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png)

> “For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back. The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make.”

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Nursing must show continual progress; without measurable improvement, the profession regresses, highlighting the need for ongoing learning and development.

**In simple terms:** Nursing must keep improving or fall behind.

Key Takeaway

Commit to lifelong learning in nursing.

Themes

healthcare professional development education

Mood

inspirational practical

Type

professional educational

When to use this quote

- clinical practice
- training programs
- quality assurance

Key Concepts

continuous improvement skill acquisition

Questions to Reflect On

- How can nurses track meaningful progress?
- What metrics best reflect nursing improvement?

A Different Perspective

Progress can be hard to quantify.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Inspirational nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-nurse/) [Inspirational nursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-nursing/) [Making Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-progress/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Nurse Nursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse-nursing-3076339/) [Nursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing/) [Nursing school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing-school/) [Nursing Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing-thing-3076338/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-an-art-and-if-it-is-to-be-made-an-art-it-requires-an/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Nursing is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-one-of-the-fine-arts-i-had-almost-said-the-finest-of-fine/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The most important practical lesson than can be given to nurses is to teach them what to observe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-most-important-practical-lesson-than-can-be-given-to-nurses-is-to/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-an-art-and-if-it-is-to-be-made-an-art-it-requires-an-2/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [He who sows courtesy reaps friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/he-who-sows-courtesy-reaps-friendship/)

[Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/)

> [He who plants kindness gathers love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/he-who-plants-kindness-gathers-love/)

[Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/)

> [Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/drugs-are-not-always-necessary-belief-in-recovery-always-is/)

[Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/)

> [The amount of relief and comfort experienced by the sick after the skin has been carefully washed and dried, is one of the commonest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-amount-of-relief-and-comfort-experienced-by-the-sick-after-the/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Apprehension, uncertainty, waiting, expectation, fear of surprise, do a patient more harm than any exertion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/apprehension-uncertainty-waiting-expectation-fear-of-surprise-do-a/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this-'devoted and obedient.' This definition would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/no-man-not-even-a-doctor-ever-gives-any-other-definition-of-what-a/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Leave people better than you found them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/leave-people-better-than-you-found-them/)

[Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/)

> [You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/you-treat-a-disease-you-win-you-lose-you-treat-a-person-i-guarantee/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [Too often we underestimate the power of a touch...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/too-often-we-underestimate-the-power-of-a-touch/)

[Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/)

> [The character of a nurse is just as important as the knowledge he/she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jarvis/the-character-of-a-nurse-is-just-as-important-as-the-knowledge-he-she/)

[Carolyn Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jarvis/)

> [Nursing is great for so many reasons, but there is one reason that means more than any poll results, amount of money, or job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-wilson/nursing-is-great-for-so-many-reasons-but-there-is-one-reason-that/)

[Brittney Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-wilson/)

## More by Florence Nightingale

> [We know nothing of the principle of health, the positive of which pathology is the negative, except from observation and experience. And nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/we-know-nothing-of-the-principle-of-health-the-positive-of-which/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The specific disease doctrine is the grand refuge of weak, uncultured, unstable minds, such as now rule in the medical profession. There are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-specific-disease-doctrine-is-the-grand-refuge-of-weak-uncultured/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/it-may-seem-a-strange-principle-to-enunciate-as-the-very-first/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [“It is often thought that medicine is the curative process. It is no such thing; medicine is the surgery of functions, as surgery proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/it-is-often-thought-that-medicine-is-the-curative-process-it-is-no/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [A hundred struggle and drown in the breakers. One discovers the new world. But rather, ten times rather, die in the surf, heralding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/a-hundred-struggle-and-drown-in-the-breakers-one-discovers-the-new/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Newton's law is nothing but the statistics of gravitation, it has no power whatever. Let us get rid of the idea of power from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/newton-s-law-is-nothing-but-the-statistics-of-gravitation-it-has-no/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-very-first-requirement-in-a-hospital-is-that-it-should-do-the/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Every nurse ought to be careful to wash her hands very frequently during the day. If her face, too, so much the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/every-nurse-ought-to-be-careful-to-wash-her-hands-very-frequently/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [I have learned to know God. I have recast my social belief... All my admirers are married; most of my friends are dead; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-have-learned-to-know-god-i-have-recast-my-social-belief-all-my/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-it-may-safely-be-said-not-that-the-habit-of-ready-and-correct/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [I cannot remember the time when I have not longed for death. ... for years and years I used to watch for death as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/i-cannot-remember-the-time-when-i-have-not-longed-for-death-for-years/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [A dark house is always an unhealthy house, always an ill-aired house, always a dirty house. Want of light stops growth and promotes scrofula,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/a-dark-house-is-always-an-unhealthy-house-always-an-ill-aired-house/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [If I could give you information of my life, it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/if-i-could-give-you-information-of-my-life-it-would-be-to-show-how-a/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients are actual means of recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/variety-of-form-and-brilliancy-of-colour-in-the-objects-presented-to/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

[Explore all 160 Florence Nightingale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

## More Inspirational nurse quotes

> [Nursing is great for so many reasons, but there is one reason that means more than any poll results, amount of money, or job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-wilson/nursing-is-great-for-so-many-reasons-but-there-is-one-reason-that/)

[Brittney Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-wilson/)

> [Nursing is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-one-of-the-fine-arts-i-had-almost-said-the-finest-of-fine/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The character of a nurse is just as important as the knowledge he/she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jarvis/the-character-of-a-nurse-is-just-as-important-as-the-knowledge-he-she/)

[Carolyn Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jarvis/)

> [Too often we underestimate the power of a touch...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/too-often-we-underestimate-the-power-of-a-touch/)

[Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/)

> [Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/drugs-are-not-always-necessary-belief-in-recovery-always-is/)

[Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/)

> [Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-an-art-and-if-it-is-to-be-made-an-art-it-requires-an/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [He who sows courtesy reaps friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/he-who-sows-courtesy-reaps-friendship/)

[Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/)

> [You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/you-treat-a-disease-you-win-you-lose-you-treat-a-person-i-guarantee/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [Leave people better than you found them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/leave-people-better-than-you-found-them/)

[Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/)

> [There is no part of my life, upon which I can look back without pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/there-is-no-part-of-my-life-upon-which-i-can-look-back-without-pain/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this-'devoted and obedient.' This definition would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/no-man-not-even-a-doctor-ever-gives-any-other-definition-of-what-a/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-an-art-and-if-it-is-to-be-made-an-art-it-requires-an-2/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The amount of relief and comfort experienced by the sick after the skin has been carefully washed and dried, is one of the commonest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/the-amount-of-relief-and-comfort-experienced-by-the-sick-after-the/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [The door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-door-that-nobody-else-will-go-in-at-seems-always-to-swing-open/)

[Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/)

> [Apprehension, uncertainty, waiting, expectation, fear of surprise, do a patient more harm than any exertion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/apprehension-uncertainty-waiting-expectation-fear-of-surprise-do-a/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

[Browse all 20 Inspirational nurse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-nurse/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back. The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Florence Nightingale"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing-which-unless-in-it-we-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Inspirational nurse"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing-which-unless-in-it-we-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/florence-nightingale-2561_inspirational-nurse_for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing_2747949.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every…” — Florence Nightingale",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Florence Nightingale",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For us who Nurse, our Nursing...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing-which-unless-in-it-we-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-us-who-nurse-our-nursing-is-a-thing-which-unless-in-it-we-are/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
