Biography Of Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910) Volunteered to assist soldiers throughout the Crimean War. Nightingale’s research into mortality rates helped improve hospital procedures. She also contributed to improving the standards and reputation of nursing. Her name is regarded as the pioneer of modern nursing.

Short bio of Florence Nightingale

Born in 1820, to a wealthy family of wealthy parents, Florence received her education at the home of her father. She was determined to help people and, in particular, she wished to become a nurse. Her parents were not supportive of her ambitions – at the time, nursing wasn’t thought of as a glamorous or respected profession. Despite the disapproval of her parents, Florence went ahead and became a nurse. Florence later admitted that she was suffocated by the superficiality and social expectations of her early life. One time, while sitting in the garden with her parents she felt a calling from God to be a servant to other people. She was determined to do God’s will by serving other people.

Florence had the chance to be married but she turned down two suitors. The thought was that marriage would make her do domestic duties.

In 1853  the Crimea war began to break out. The war was bloody, which resulted in many deaths on both sides. The reports of British deaths were published in the press. In particular, they reported that wounded soldiers were not receiving the most basic first-aid treatment. Many soldiers were dying without cause. This shocked the British people since it was among the first wars extensively reported in the media in the home country.

Biography Of Florence Nightingale

Then, in 1855 Florence Nightingale was asked (with the assistance of her former acquaintance Sydney Herbert) to travel to the Crimea and arrange nurses. A lot of the applicants were not suitable and Florence was very strict when choosing and training nurses. Nightingale was assisted by nurses who were trained in Elizabeth Fry’s nursing school. Nightingale was a great admirer of Fry who, among other things, fought for better conditions in prisons.

Florence was thrilled to have the opportunity to fill the post and use her experience as a nurse. They worked in the hospital for staff in Scutari. She was shocked by the chaotic and primitive conditions. There weren’t enough beds for men, and the conditions were awful The place smelled dirty, smelled stale and there were rats roaming around spreading diseases. In reference to Scutari Hospital, Florence Nightingale stated:

“The British high command had achieved the most similar to hell.”

At first, nurses were not even permitted to assist the dying men and were instructed to keep the hospital clean. However, as time went on the number of deaths reached a point where the doctors enlisted Florence and her nurses’ team to assist.

A close associate of Florence Nightingale was Jamaican nurse, Mary Seacole who operated independently from an office in Balaclava close to the frontline.

angel-of-mercy_Florence_Nightingale Florence’s manner of conduct was strict for her nurses, that always donned a visible uniform. Her efforts Florence and her group of nurses were highly praised by wounded soldiers and eventually, positive news stories were relayed back home. In Crimea, she established the persona of “The Lady of”the Lamp.”

When she returned to her home country, she had become an iconic national hero and was awarded many awards, including one by Queen Victoria.

Florence Nightingale

Following the conflict, she did not enjoy the fame, but she worked to improve the conditions in hospitals and wrote to influential individuals encouraging them to raise the standards of hygiene in hospitals. It was following her return from Crimea that her most influential work took place.

Thanks to contributions towards the Nightingale Fund, she was capable of establishing a school of nursing training institute in St Thomas’s Hospital, London. Then, in (1859) she published the Notes of Nursing. This became a common reference for people seeking to become nurses as well as for the general public wanting to understand fundamental skills. Her writings and her example were influential in how nursing was conducted during the Nineteenth Century. She influenced nursing during and around the American Civil War, and in 1870, she was trained by Linda Richards, who returned to the US to establish her nursing career in America.

Nightingale was the first to pioneer applying statistical methods to determine the impact of various practices. She was also able to present dense data from statistical studies in a simple format. She frequently used circular histograms and pie charts to help clarify the most important details.

It is interesting to note that her own treatment methods for soldiers had a negative impact on recuperation rates. But, this approach to hospital treatments helped to increase the standard and quality of care.

Alongside nurses, Nightingale was concerned with other aspects of social reform. It was about improving medical care within Workhouses and schools, as well as a change to the laws governing prostitution that frequently targeted prostitutes females. Nightingale was also concerned about the food shortage in India and conducted extensive studies into state health and sanitation in India. Nightingale was a practical person trying to improve the quality of daily life.

“I always take advantage of the chance to encourage a practical start no matter how small, as it is fascinating the number of times the mustard seed germinates and grows itself.”

Nightingale was also a writer on the role played by women in society. She demanded that women be more active and to play more of a role in society.

“Why do women have passion in their intellect, their moral activity — all three and a place in the society where none of them can be engaged?”

– Cassandra (1860)

Nightingale herself was considered a major pioneer in taking a lead in the national political scene at a time when female activism was a rarity. However, Nightingale didn’t always agree with feminists and she was sometimes disapproving of women in other fields:

“I have not met a single woman who has changed her life in one way to my opinion or mine.”

Biography Of Florence Nightingale

Religious views

Florence Nightingale took an active fascination with spiritual and religious questions. She was an active participant in the Church of England but took an expansive ecumenical stance – believing that there was truth in various Christian faiths, as well as Eastern religions. She also wrote about mysticism as well as the practice of seeking the divine within.

“Where will I locate God? In me. That’s the only way to live the Mystical Doctrine. However, I should be in the right state that allows Him to enter and be within me. This is the main goal in Mystical Life. And all Mystical Rules throughout time and nations have been formulated to assist in placing the soul in the state of being.”

Florence Nightingale – Notes from Devotional Authors of Middle Ages (1873-1874)

Florence Nightingale died at the age of 90 in the year 1910.

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