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Florence Nightingale Facts

Florence Nightingale Facts
Florence Nightingale was a nurse who became famous for her work during the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) caring for the wounded soldiers in a British hospital in Scutari, and for changing hospital management and the nursing profession forever. She was born May 12th, 1820 in Florence, Italy, to William Edward Nightingale and Frances Nightingale, wealthy British heirs. In 1821 the family moved back to England and Florence was raised in Hampshire and Derbyshire in the family homes. By the time she was 16, Florence had already determined that her calling was to be a nurse, despite the low wages and lack of respect for the profession. Florence went on to become the most famous nurse in history, changing the way hospitals were run and changing the attitude towards the nursing profession.
Interesting Florence Nightingale Facts:
Florence Nightingale was named after the city she was born in - Florence, Italy.
At 17 Florence refused a marriage proposal by an upper class gentleman. It was expected that Florence would marry someone of high social class, but she chose to pursue nursing, against her parent's wishes.
Florence Nightingale enrolled in nursing school at the Lutheran Hospital of Pastor Fliedner, in Germany in 1850.
In 1853 Florence Nightingale was hired to run a small hospital in London. She was only 33 when she was hired for the job.
In 1854 the Crimean War began to take its toll on troops and British troops were dying because of lack of supplies and doctors and nurses.
In November, 1854, Florence Nightingale and a group of 38 other nurses she had organized arrived in Scutari (Istanbul, Turkey), at the request of her friend Sidney Herbert, a government official.
When Florence arrived at the hospital in Scutari the conditions were appalling, with rats and fleas and a very dirty, unsanitary environment.
Florence organized the other nurses and changed the conditions of the hospital. The hospital was properly sanitized and soldiers were properly cared for, with clean bandages and sheets, and were properly fed.
Soldiers began to refer to Florence Nightingale as ‘the lady with the lamp' because she was often seen at night walking around at night with her lamp to check on the patients.
Florence Nightingale's efforts began to become known. When she returned to England at the end of the Crimean War in 1856, Florence was a national heroine.
Many of Florence Nightingale's admirers sent her letters to thank her for her work in Scutari. She received thousands of letters from people she didn't know.
In 1859 Florence Nightingale wrote Notes on Nursing - a book about caring for patients.
Florence believed that nurses should have a proper education and founded the Nightingale Training School in 1860 at St. Thomas' Hospital in London, England.
Florence continued to champion nursing, writing letters, giving advice, and helping to improve the attitude about the profession.
Queen Victoria awarded Florence Nightingale the Royal Red Cross in 1883.
In 1907 Florence Nightingale was awarded the order of Merit. She was the first woman to receive the award.
Florence Nightingale died on August 13th, 1910, at the age of 90, in London.
Many monuments and even a museum have been dedicated to Florence Nightingale for her work to help the sick by improving hospital care and nursing.


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