Florence Nightingale, considered the father of modern nursing,’ has had an immense influence on history and nursing techniques. Now as International Nurses Day the anniversary of her birthday is celebrated worldwide as we honour not only her great contribution, but that of all those called to the nursing profession. Here are some interesting facts you may not know about the world’s most famous nurse, to honour her memory. She would certainly have given this Nursing Agency Stroud based firm Take 5 Healthcare a look for a position.
Florence Nightingale was born in Italy and a Cambridge graduate who oversaw her education was her father. As well as being fluent in English, Italian, French and German, she had a grasp of Latin. Her studies also included Shakespeare, mathematics and philosophy.
Nursing was not a valued career during the first half of the 19th century. Lower-class jobs, low pay and even prostitution were associated with it. Her parents weren’t pleased when Florence announced that she was being called to the profession. She began training in 1850 and became superintendent at a women’s hospital in London 3 years later.
Florence Nightingale was most famous during the Crimean War for her work. She was friends with the then Secretary of War of the United Kingdom, who gave her permission to put together 38 volunteers to treat injured soldiers in a field hospital.
It was appalling the conditions she found there. All over the floor were rodents, urine and blood. Nearly half of all those admitted are going to die. Nightingale correctly concluded that the awful sanitation and the death rate had a connection. The mortality rate fell from almost 43 per cent to just 2 per cent in just four months after the implementation of sanitation.