Florence Nightingale As A Role Model

Florence Nightingale was a foundational philosopher of modern nursing, statistician, and social reformer. Nightingale was put in charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War” (Britannica, Florence Nightingale).

Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, Florence, Italy. She had two siblings, both older than her. Her parents were France Nightingale and William Shore Nightingale, the wealthy landowner. As a child, Nightingale was socially awkward, so she stirred away from being in a big crowd. She went to Institution of Protestant Deaconesses at Kaiserswerth. She later studied German, French, and Italian. At a young age Florence was interested in philanthropy, and she often times preached to the sick people in her

village. (Florence Nightingale, 2015) . By the time she reached a certain age, she knew nursing was something she wanted to do, though her parents did not approve due to the fact that in Victorian Era women like Nightingale were to “marry a man of mean” (Florence Nightingale, 2015). “At the age of 17, she refused a marriage proposal, because her moral active nature requires satisfaction” (Florence Nightingale, 2015). “Nightingale wasn’t a romantic person” (Florence Nightingale , n.d). She knew a having a husband wouldn’t make her achieve wanted she wanted to be. She knew that have Soon after “she enrolled herself as a nursing student at Lutheran Hospital of Pastor Fliedner in Kaiserwerth, Germany” (Florence Nightingale, 2015).
After she nursed her aunt, “she wanted to turn her home into a nursing home, but she couldn’t afford it” (Bostridge, n.d). She started studying nursing, and started realizing how certain treatments were affecting patients. She also came to realize “bloodletting, administering infusions of arsenic, mercury, and opiates—were actually killing more patients than they saved.” (Bostridge, n.d)”.
In the early 1850’s, “she took a nursing job in a Middlesex hospital for ailing governesses” (Florence Nightingale, 2015). Her position as a superintendent became difficult, because she had to deal with an outbreak called “Cholera”. With it being unsanitary diseases were rapidly spreading, so she made it her it obligation to “improve hygiene practices “she eventually lowered death rates of the Crimea war (Florence Nightingale, 2015) In late 1854, Nightingale received a letter from Secretary of War Sidney Herbert, asking her to organize a corps of nurses to tend to the sick and fallen soldiers in the Crimea (Florence Nightingale, 2015). After seeing the horrific conditions nightingale quickly began working to heal the soldiers. During the time soldiers called her the “Lady with the Lamp “Or “The Angel of the Crimea.” The work she done reduced death rate to 2/3 thirds. She created different patient services to improve the hospital.” (Florence Nightingale, 2015). She made “Invalid’s Kitchen” to have a more appealing, and nutritional meals. She created “Laundry” to make sure the soldiers had cleaner clothes. She established a classroom and a library for patients “intellectual stimulation and entertainment” (Florence Nightingale, 2015).
In the summer of 1857 she went back home, she was welcomed back by a soldier which she shied away from.

Soon after she was rewarded by the Queen with an engraved brooch that’s known as “Nightingale Jewel” and also granting her 250,000 from the British government (Florence Nightingale, 2015). Nightingale wanted to further her cause so used the money that was given to her, and she funded St Thomas hospital and the Nightingale training school for nurses, (Florence Nightingale, 2015). Nightingale eventually became a role model, not only to lower class women, but to the higher class women as well. Nursing had become honorable and highly

excepted.
Later in life Nightingale became very ill, to the point she had to be on bed rest, and for the rest of her life.

She was very determined to continue to do what she loved, so “she continued working from her bed” (Florence Nightingale, 2015). She remained an advocate for health care, had many interviews with politicians and she published “Notes on Hospitals” (Florence Nightingale, 2015).She had given information about how to manage field hospitals, also she was over India sanitation issues, although she have never been to India (Florence Nightingale, 2015).“In 1908 conferred the merit of honor by King Edward. In May of 1910, she received a congratulatory message from King George on her 90th birthday”. (Florence Nightingale, 2015). In August 1910 she became ill, and eventually died in her home, she died at the age of 90.

She wanted a small and private funeral, so her family declined a state funeral. “Her service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Her burial is in the family plot in St. Margaret’s Church, East Wellow, and Hampshire” (Bloy, 2001). “Often a lone female voice appealing to the Victorian establishment, her skill for communication and mathematics helped overhaul army and civilian healthcare and saved thousands from a gruesome death.” (Bostridge, n.d).

Florence Nightingale was the first women to become a nurse, and she felt it was her call the help the ill. She dropped the Crimea War death rate to 2/3. She dedicated her life to making sure hospitals practices being

sanitary.