Florence Nightingale
Founder of Modern Nursing
Florence Nightingale providing care in the Crimean War
- 1982 - Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy to an upper class British family
- 1838 - Florence meets Mary Clarke with whom she begins a 40 year long friendship which greatly influences Florence. Clarke demonstrates that women could be equals to men.
- 1844 - Nightingale announced her intention to study nursing which her family opposed. Despite intense pressure to fulfill more traditional roles as a wife and mother, Nightingale worked to educate herself in the art and science of nursing.
- 1847 - Florence met Sidney Herbert, a politician who would serve as Secretary of War during the Crimean War. During the war, him and his wife were instrumental in facilitating Nightingale's nursing work.
- 1854 - Nightingale, along with 38 female volunteer nurses she had trained mobilised under the authorisation of Sidney Herbert to the Ottoman Empire.
- 1854 - Nightingale still believed that the death rates were due to poor nutrition, lack of supplies, stale air and overworking of the soldiers. This experience influenced her later work where she advocated for sanitary conditions.
- 1855 - In recognition for her work in the Crimean war, the Nightingale fund is established for training of new nurses.
- 1860 - Using funds from the Nightingale fund, the Nightingale Training School at St. John's Hospital is established.
- 1859 - Nightingale writes Notes on Nursing which is considered to be a classic introduction to nursing.
- 1883 - Florence is awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria. She went on to receive the Order of Merit, Honorary Freedom, and was appointed the Lady of Grace of the Order of St John.
Please read about Florence Nightingale's amazing life here.