Florence Nightingale: The Lady with a Lamp

Some of the recent posts that I wrote were about the icons in nursing history. Now, to continue what I started, I’m going to write a brief but in depth story about the lady who changed the view of many people towards the importance of hygiene and sanitation not only in hospitals but in our homes as well –Florence Nightingale.

Nightingale's Rich Yet Humble Beginnings

 

Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 in the city where she was named after in Italy. She was born into a well-off family and grew up to become a good writer and statistician. She managed to let go of her first profession in 1844 when she finally decided to enter nursing. She went against her mother and her sister’s will of becoming a wife and a mother. Nightingale traveled in different countries to pursue her career and was much persevered with her God-given calling – to become a nurse. She even rejected those who courted her because she strongly believed that marriage will only hinder her purpose to practice nursing.

Nightingale’s God-Given Calling

The Place Where Nightingale Worked in 1856

Nightingale, being the pioneer in the nursing field among British women had suggested many changes during the Crimean War on 1854. One of which is imposing to have a cleaner environment for both nurses and doctors. Although despised by most men and often harassed due to her femininity, she continued fighting for her rights. Given the stereotypes among women, as those who provide sexual pleasures for men, like that of a courtesan, Nightingale preferred to raise the bar. Her efforts were not wasted as the government sent a prefabricated hospital called the “Renkioi Hospital”. Furthermore, the Sanitary Commission came 6 months after Nightingale arrived to clean out the sewers and provide ventilation. This major adjustment made a drastic improvement in the death rate among soldiers from 42% to 2%. 

Awarded to Nightingale by Queen Victoria

Her nickname “Lady with the Lamp” was derived from a report made in The Times during the Crimean War. She was described as a compassionate lady who never failed to bring hope to those who have less or none. Nightingale was also an advocate towards the advancement of careers of women doctors and nurses. She did not grow to just become rich lady waiting for a gentleman to marry her although she was born from a rich family. Nightingale was legend in the nursing history whose work changed the field of medicine dramatically for the better.

Although she's already gone, her contributions to the nursing profession will forever remain to those who purposely value this duty of becoming a nurse. As quoted from one of 'The Times'' report, "she is a ministering angel without any exaggeration". She is