It is so hard to believe that today was our last day of the trip. It was truly the perfect way to end such an amazing trip. We started the morning by going to the Florence Nightingale Museum, which focused on one of the main pioneers of nursing, Florence Nightengale. While many people may know her as “The Lady with the Lamp,” she is the one who helped improve sanitation through the practice of handwashing. We had learned about her throughout our first year of nursing school, but this museum was able to give me a deeper understanding of who she was and what else she did. Her work is a major influence on nurses today and has helped save so many patients’ lives. 

One exhibit that stood out to me was a video I wanted to see about nurses in the air. I learned about Squadron Leader Peter Quick and some of the challenges that come with providing care in helicopters. One hour of working time in the air is equivalent to three hours of working time on the ground, which means you have to be quick and on your game the entire time. His story gave me a little bit of insight on how there are so many different environments nurses work in and so many job opportunities within. 

One of my other favorite parts of the museum was the medical tools on display that were used during the Crimean War, including an amputation saw. The British army doctors used new techniques to remove the injured limbs and even started using chloroform. Florence made sure that the operations happened behind a screen so the men’ s morale did not sink if the patient died. It is crazy to think about how much healthcare has changed over the years and how fortunate we are to have the tools and resources that are available today. We also learned about the Nightingale Fund, which was a public fund to train nurses that was set up in honor of Florence. There were 44 thousand pounds raised, which is equivalent to 6 million pounds today. And with the money, the Nightingale School was opened in 1860. 

After the museum, we had the rest of the day to explore London on our own. We immediately headed to Big Ben for some final pictures. It is so cool to stand there and appreciate one of London’s most recognizable towers. After that, we found breakfast and coffee because we slept in and did not eat at the hotel. My huevos rancheros and vanilla matcha were exactly what I needed to start a day of exploring. We then walked across the bridges to see the sights of London and get to the pier entrance. We got on the London Eye Waterloo Ferry. It was such a beautiful way to see London from a different perspective. I felt like I got to see as much of London as you could in one day, including the London bridge, Tower of London, and so many different monuments and buildings. The weather also felt so nice because it was our first hot and sunny day (I even got a little burnt).

We then felt confident enough to decide to take the Tube completely on our own and go to Camden Market. We spent forever walking around all of the shops because the market felt so huge. There was something different on every corner, like jewelry, vintage clothes, artwork, and food. While exploring, I grabbed some bruschetta, which was so refreshing because my walking had worked up an appetite. Eventually, we met up with more friends and spent even more time shopping and just enjoying the chaotic atmosphere. Camden was definitely one of the most people filled and New York esque places we visited. 

Later in the day, we made our way back through the Tube to head to the Piccadilly Theatre to watch Moulin Rouge. I had heard a lot of good things about the show, but it was beyond anything I could have pictured. The music, costumes, and set were all so incredible. It was such an energetic performance, and everyone left the theater singing by the end. It was one of the highlights of my trip and a great way to end our last day. 

This trip and journey have truly impacted me in so many ways. I learned so much to carry with me throughout my nursing journey, like education, collaboration, awareness, and policies. But most of all, I was introduced to so many amazing people, and I will always cherish the memories I made here. It was such an amazing opportunity, thank you!