Florence Nightingale

      As I am nearing the end of Nursing School, we begin to learn all the nursing theories and ethics involved with nursing. One cannot get through nursing school without learning about Florence Nightingale (12 May 1820-13 August 1910)

      Don't know who she is? Well, she is known as the "Mother of Nursing". She is truly someone who made Nursing what it is today. To clarify, Nursing is said to have been around since the beginning of time. (Someone had to help the caveman after he almost got killed dinosaur right?!?!) Early on, people who did the job of the "nurse" were usually nuns, or widows. Then, during the time of the Holy Wars (Crusades), most nurses were men, who cared for the wounded during war. In 1854, during the Crimean war, Nightingale was appointed as head of a group of nurses that worked in Crimea during the war. It is important to note that during this time, nurses were usually prostitutes whose punishment was working as a nurse at hospitals. So for Nightingale to CHOOSE nursing as her "calling" was an outrage in the eyes of her family, who were very wealthy and socially successful and educated.
      Her success during the during the Crimean War was due to her methods of improving sanitation and hygiene at the camps where she cared for injured soldiers. This success led her to begin developing schools of nursing.
     Her theories of nursing care are believed to be the first nursing theories available to improve the care that nurses give their patients. Her theories in nursing include: how a person is influenced by the environment, how nursing is a "calling", and how we as nurses can affect the environment to facilitate health and recovery from illness.
     PHEW!! That was alot of information! And it wasn't even the tip of the iceberg in all there is to say about Florence Nightingale! Just thought I'd keep it short and sweet.

UNTIL NEXT TIME! Adios!