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Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and showed that trained nurses and clean hospitals helped sick people get better. She was known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp’.
Early life
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy on 12 May 1820. Her father was a wealthy landowner. She was brought up in Derbyshire, where she spent her summers and Hampshire, where she spent her winters.
Florence was named after the place of her birth.
Florence was named after the place of her birth.
At the time when Florence was born, many girls did not receive any type of education. Florence was very lucky because her father, William Nightingale, believed that all women should receive an education. He taught Florence and her sister a variety of subjects ranging from science and mathematics to history and philosophy. Florence was very clever and gifted at maths.
Training as a nurse
As Florence grew up, she developed an interest in helping others. She cared for sick pets and servants whenever she had the chance.
Florence Nightingale felt called by God to become a nurse.
At 17 years of age, she believed she was called into service by God “to do something toward lifting the load of suffering from the helpless and miserable.”
At first her parents refused to allow her to become a nurse because, at that time, it was not thought to be a suitable profession for a well-educated woman. But Florence did not give up.
Eventually, in 1851 her father gave his permission and Florence went to Germany to train as a nurse.
Florence Nightingale felt called by God to become a nurse.
At 17 years of age, she believed she was called into service by God “to do something toward lifting the load of suffering from the helpless and miserable.”
At first her parents refused to allow her to become a nurse because, at that time, it was not thought to be a suitable profession for a well-educated woman. But Florence did not give up.
Eventually, in 1851 her father gave his permission and Florence went to Germany to train as a nurse.
Crimean War
In 1854 Florence Nightingale was asked to go to Turkey to manage the nursing of British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War (1854 - 56). She found the hospital conditions to be in a very poor state. Many of the wounded were unwashed and were sleeping in overcrowded, dirty rooms without blankets or decent food. Most soldiers died from infections and diseases.
Florence and her nurses changed these conditions. They were then able to properly care for the ill and wounded and the death rate among the soldiers dropped.
She became known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because she would walk around the hospital in the evening carrying a lamp and check on the soldiers. Florence became a true hero to the soldiers and everyone back home in England.
She became known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because she would walk around the hospital in the evening carrying a lamp and check on the soldiers. Florence became a true hero to the soldiers and everyone back home in England.
When she returned to England, she started a school in 1860 for nurses at St.Thomas hospital in London.
She wrote her most important book Notes on Nursing which advised people how to care for the sick. It was written in simple language so that everybody could understand it.