Florence Nightingale: A Nurse Figure Of Admiration To Men And Women

Florence Nightingale, also known as The Lady of the Lamp, is a nurse figure of admiration to men and women in the seventeenth century. Florence Nightingale was pushed by her family at a young age to focus on her studies, which would inspire her love of nursing later on. Throughout Florence's career and nursing experiences, she accomplished many great advancements. Some of these accomplishments occurred during the Crimean War, and she is remembered by many of these advancements, even today. Florence Nightingale's early years of life and her career have paved the way for nurses today. Florence Nightingale’s life experiences greatly impacted her future and provided her with opportunities to accomplish many great advancements in the field of nursing;

Florence Nightingale, who was not coincidentally named after the city, was born in Florence, on May 12, 1820. Florence was one of two daughters born to William and Frances Nightingale. Living a rather privileged life, Florence spilt the year between one home in London, and another in Derbyshire (Selanders). Florence’s parents realized she was not an ordinary child at a young age when she began taking an interest in statistics, mathematics, and philosophy. Since these types of activities were not suppose to appeal to women, Florence's mother and sister were startled by her unconventional actions (“Florence Nightingale”). Practicing the beliefs of Liberal Unitarian, Florence had her first calling from God, who wanted her to rid the suffering of mankind. Florence saw the best way to do so as a nurse. Once again, her parents was mortified at the thought of their daughter doing something so lowly (Selanders). During this time period, nursing was seen as an undignified occupation, and the Nightingales insisted their daughter take no part in it (Allitt 806). Florence's family’s input and differing opinions will influence the way she continues out her nursing career by fueling her desire to care for

Florence’s early life background, such as excelling in school and being denied by her family on the decision of nursing as a career, influenced the way Florence developed as a nurse. Florence's first real impacts on the nursing field began when she was personally chosen to tend to the injured soldiers during the Crimean War. The significance of these impacts saved many lives of many soldiers, even in present day. For all that Florence did, she was the first woman awarded the Order of Merit (Selanders). Not only did Florence impact the lives of many patients, but also the lives of women entering the workforce as nurses. Without Florence's influence and drive to become a nurse, women may not have entered the workforce as nurses, or any other profession at the time that they did. Florence’s achievements and abilities marked her as the woman who established modern nursing, and for that, she will always be known as the Lady of the