Florence

703 Words2 Pages

“I stand at the altar of the murdered men and while I live I shall fight their cause.” These words, spoken by Florence Nightingale, very neatly sum up her life’s ambitions. Florence Nightingale: “The Lady with the Lamp”, creator of the nursing profession, hero in the Crimean war, and so much more. She was born into an upper class family on May 12, 1820, in Florence Italy. As a woman, working during the Victorian time period was uncommon, let alone pursuing a career in nursing. Florence led the way for future female nurses, saved many lives, and improved healthcare in hospitals.
Florence Nightingale was born into a wealthy family involved in elite social circles. Her mom was interested in socializing, however Florence did not inherit this trait. Florence preferred not to be the center of attention, and often got into arguments with her mother, who was usually very controlling of her. Florence did not get much say in decisions. Florence’s father was a wealthy landowner and provided her with a good education including lessons in German, French, and Italian. She had always wanted to help people, which led to her being active in philanthropy starting at a very young age. Florence had decided she wanted to be a nurse when she was 16 years old, a decision her parents did not agree with. For women in the Victorian age, it was rare for women to have jobs. Women usually took care of children and looked after the house. Florence rejected a marriage proposal when she was 17, once again setting herself apart from the typical Victorian woman. In 1844, she became a nursing student at the Lutheran Hospital of Pastor Fliedner in Kaiserwerth, Germany. There were not very many nurses back then, let alone a female nurse.
Around 1850, Florence m...

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...ssful career, nursing was not a popular vocation. Women especially did not become educated in nursing until Florence set the stage. Florence “stood at the altar of murdered men” and would not put up with insufficient nurses and medical care to treat the sick and wounded. When Florence died in 1910, her legacy continued to live on and still continues to inspire people today.

Works Cited

"Facts About Florence Nightingale." Interesting Information for Kids, Pupils, Parents and Teach-ers. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. .
"Florence Nightingale Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. .
"Florence Nightingale." Florence Nightingale. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. .

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