Florence Nightingale In Nursing

Florence Nightingale is an important figure in nursing. Her caring nature, and love for people around her, motivated her to improve the nursing profession. She wanted to accomplish much more than what her family had planned for her. Her intelligence and hardworking attitude made it possible to accomplish all that she did throughout her life. Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 in Florence Italy. Her parents, William and Frances Nightingale, named her after the city of her birth. Her older sister, Parthenope, was also named after the city she was born in (“Florence Nightingale Biography.”). Frances Nightingale was from a family of merchants. She had a great interest in social climbing and interacting with people of a high social

At the time, nurses were not respected, and the job was frowned upon. They were also not as properly trained as they are today. Hospital conditions were very poor, especially during war. The medicine and food they were given was not good. The soldiers had to sleep in dirty, overcrowded rooms, often without blankets. Because of these conditions, it was more common for men to die from diseases like typhus and cholera than from their injuries (“Florence Nightingale Why”). Florence Nightingale made many huge contributions to improve these problems. Her first nursing job was at Harley Street hospital in the early 1850’s. She did so well, her employer promoted her to superintendent. At the same time she was working this job, she was also volunteering at a Middlesex hospital. At this hospital, she helped tackle a cholera outbreak and fix unsanitary conditions that lead to the rapid spread of the disease. Improving hygiene practices to lower the death rate at the hospital significantly in the process became Florence Nightingale’s mission. Then, in October 1853, the Crimean War broke out. There were no female nurses stationed at the hospitals in Crimea (“Florence Nightingale.” Biography”). Nightingale organized thirty-eight nurses to tend to the sick and injured soldiers (“Florence Nightingale Biography.”). When they arrived at the hospital, they found it in

In 1855, Queen Victoria rewarded her work by presenting her with an engraved brooch. Over time, this brooch came to be known as the “Nightingale Jewel”. The queen also granted her a prize of $250,000 from the British government, which she used to further develop her cause (“Florence Nightingale.” Biography). Then in 1883, Queen Victoria awarded her with the Royal Red Cross (“Florence Nightingale Biography: Who”). In 1904, she was appointed a Lady of Grace of the Order of St John. Florence became the first woman to be awarded the Order of Merit in 1907. In 1908, she was bestowed the merit of honor by King Edward and given the Honorary Freedom of the City of London. She was also presented with the badge of honor of the Norwegian Red Cross Society in 1910 (“Florence Nightingale | Facts”). Today, The Florence Nightingale Museum sits at the site of the original Nightingale Training School for Nurses