Nightingale

Era: Modern -

Lived: 1820 - 1910

Module: Medicine –

Important in Medicine because…

·         Florence Nightingale was from a wealthy background and chose to revolutionise a profession that had the very worst reputation. Nursing.

·         She brought discipline, routine, hygiene and professionalism to Nursing by establishing a Nursing college.

·         But first by 1849 she had studied in Europe and Alexandria in 1850. Three years later she was Superintendant of the Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen.

·         The Crimean War broke out in March 1854, quick telegraph communications brought home horror stories from War Correspondents. Florence went out to the Hospital at Scutari with 38 nurses.

·         She reduced the death rate from 42% to 2% in 1856. Evidence of her success, and that soldiers and wounded were been killed more by unhygienic hospitals than the enemy.