 |
Anglobilia all about England |
 |
Florence Nightingale
 Florence Nightingale |
Florence Nightingale was born on May 12th 1820 in Florence, Italy. She was the daughter of a wealthy landowner of Embley Park, Hampshire.
At the age of 17 Nightingale felt herself called by God for some unrevealed purpose. She defied her parents' expectation for her to find a husband and become a loyal and obedient wife.
At the age of 25 Nightingale dismayed her parents further by announcing that she wanted to become a nurse. At that time nursing was not considered a suitable profession for a woman of her social class.
Nightigale's nursing career began in 1851 when she spent four months training in Kaiserworth, Germany. In 1853 she was pppointed superintendent at a women's hospital in Harley Street, London.
Nightingale's most famous work took place during the Crimean War (1854-56) in which Britain fought alongside France and Turkey against Russia. Following reports of the appalling conditions suffered by British soldiers, Nightingale volunteered her services and took a group of 38 nurses to the Crimea. She lost no time in reorganizing patient care at the army hospital in Scutari and as a result of her efforts the patient mortality rate plummeted.
Nightingale's work won huge admiration from the British public and she became known as the Lady With The Lamp, due to the lamp she carried on her night rounds of the hospital.
Whilst in the Crimea, Nightingale contracted Crimean Fever. Possibly as a result of this she continued to suffer health problems for the rest of her life.
Following her return to England, Nightingale continued to campaign for improved medical treatment for military personnel. Her contribution to the Royal Commission on the Health of the Army led to the establishment of the Army Medical School. In 1860 Nightingale founded the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St Thomas's Hospital in London.
Nightingale was a gifted mathematician and statistician who contributed to the foundation of the new field of epidemiology. Her written works include Notes on Nursing (a classic introduction to nursing), Notes on Hospitals, Notes on Nursing for the Labouring Classes, and Cassandra: An Essay (an angry outcry against the forced idleness of Victorian women).
Books:
Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Reformer Barbara Montgomery Dossey. Reveals the many facets of this complex, brilliant woman, including her little-known but fascinating mystical side, which inspired all of her achievements, and her early support of the Indian nationalist movement.
Nightingales : The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence Nightingale Gillian Gill.
More information:
The Florence Nightingale Museum A collection of artefacts and other material connected with Florence Nightingale, preserved from the early years of the twentieth century at St Thomas' Hospital and the Nightingale Training School.
A Selection of Letters Written by Florence Nightingale from the Clendening History of Medicine Library, University of Kansas.
Comments, Suggestions, contact info@twinisles.com