Biography of Florence Nightingale

Biography of Florence Nightingale My name is Florence Nightingale. Many people know me as “the lady with

the lamp.” My history tells that I was seen as an angel of mercy. My

contributions to medicine are still very much seen today.

I was born May 12, 1820 and Fanny Nightingale in Florence, Italy.

William My mother wanted her children to have different names, so her

firstborn, my sister, was named Parthenope after an ancient Greek

site. I was named Florence after the town in which I was born. My

parents were known to be very strong-willed and intelligent people.

When I was a year old, my family moved to back to their homeland,

Europe. My father had inherited a large amount of money so I grew up

in an upscale world of games, guests, excursions, pets and amusements.

My father began educating me and my sister when we were quite young.

He taught us Greek, French, Italian, and German. I remember very

clearly his consistency in teaching me to study history, philosophy,

math, ethics and the Bible. I expressed early on my desire to help

people when my sister and I were playing dolls. Parthenope had fun

taking the dolls apart, while I found amusement in sewing and putting

them all back together. I grew up to be known as the better looking

sister who was better at school work. My sister played the role of a

more “normal” daughter according to society’s standards, who enjoyed

socializing over studying.

In my early teens, I became dissatisfied with my l...

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...inder of my life I was mostly confined to bed because

of an illness I had contracted while I was in Turkey. I was not able

to keep working as a nurse, however I was still able to push the

medical field toward better health standards. I was also able to

publish over 100 books about nursing. I became the first woman to

receive the Order of Merit from Kind Edward VII. In 1874 I became an

honored member of the American Statistical Association and in 1883

Queen Victoria awarded me the Royal Red Cross in recognition of my

work.

On August 13, 1910, at the age of ninety I passed away. I was buried

in Europe, near Embley Park. I am known as one the most influential

women in the nineteenth century. Much of my research and reforms in

nursing are still in effect today. Today, I am distinctly remembered

as a hero of medicine.