Florence Nightingale is known as the founder of modern nursing. Her work during the Crimean War and afterwards transformed healthcare and saved countless lives.
Life
- <strong>Born</strong>: 12 May 1820, Florence, Italy (hence her name)
- <strong>Died</strong>: 13 August 1910, London
- <strong>Nickname</strong>: "The Lady with the Lamp"
- <strong>Family</strong>: Wealthy upper-class family
The Crimean War (1853-1856)
Britain fought Russia in the Crimean War. Conditions in military hospitals were appalling: - Overcrowded wards - No clean water or sanitation - Dirty bandages and equipment - More soldiers died from disease than battle wounds
Nightingale's Work - Arrived at Scutari (Turkey) with 38 nurses in 1854 - Cleaned the hospital and improved sanitation - Ensured patients had clean bedding and food - Reduced the death rate dramatically - Walked the wards at night with a lamp (earning her nickname)
Contribution to Nursing
After the war, Nightingale: - Used statistics to prove the importance of hygiene - Wrote influential books on nursing and hospital design - Founded the Nightingale Training School for Nurses (1860) - Established nursing as a respectable profession - Advised on public health and sanitation
Legacy
- International Nurses Day is on her birthday (12 May)
- Influenced hospital design worldwide
- Pioneered the use of statistics in healthcare
- Florence Nightingale Medal awarded to nurses