How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910) was a famous nurse of Victorian era.
Despite the fact that she was born in the rich family, Florence went to work and at the same time train as a nurse at Salisbury Royal Infirmary. She soon became an expert on hygiene.
In 1859 Florence wrote a small book called ‘Notes on Nursing’, with a special section on taking care of babies. The book sells millions of copies all over the world. In 1860 she opened the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St Thomas Hospital in London. Florence almost single-handedly invents modern nursing, as we know it today.
There are many more things to find out about Florence Nightingale. Explore her life!
Florence Nightingale was born on 12th of May 1820 in Florence, Italy. She was named after the city of her birth. Florence’s family was rich, upper-class and well connected British family. Her parents were William and Frances Nightingale. Florence had an older sister Parthenope.
Florence received education from her father, who studied in Cambridge. Florence liked mathematics and studies of algebra, statistics and euclid helped her alot throughout her life.
Religion also played an important role in Nightingale’s life. Both girls were brought up as memers of the Church of England.
After experiencing what Nightingale called a divine calling, Florence decided to devote her life to helping others. She wanted to become a nurse. This decision caused anger and opposition of the whole Nightingale’s family. In mid 19th century nursing was not considered as suitable profession for well educated woman.
While on tour of Europe and Egypt, Nightingale studies nursing and different hospital systems. In 1850 she began her training as a nurse at the Institute of St Vincent de Paul in Alexandria, Egypt. In 1851 Florence returned back to Europe and continued her nursing studies in Kaiserswerth, Germany.
Crimean war started in 1854. British authorities received lots of complaints about the state of hospitals in the war region. And so Florence Nightingale was asked to become a nursing administrator to supervise the introduction of nurses in the war hospitals.
Scutari hospital wards in Turkey
She and other 38 nurses (all trained by Florence) were sent to Scutari hospital in Turkey. What they found there were terrible conditions in which soldiers were kept. Medicines were on short supply, food was badly processed (in some cases ill and injured soldiers had to eat raw meat), hygienic conditions were not observed at all.
Lots of soldiers were dying from infections.
Florence Nightingale was convinced that by improving sanitary conditions it is possible to reduce the death rate amongst soldiers. Six months after she arrived, sewer flushing and ventilation systems were improved. Florence enforced adequate lighting, diet, hygiene and activity.
By 1855 death rates in the hospital dropped from 60% to 2%.
Interesting facts
Did you know that there was a £10 bank note with Florence Nightingale picture on it? The bank notes were printed in 1975 and circulated up until 1994.
Florence Nightingale £10 banknote
