What Makes Florence Nightingale A Hero

“I stand at the altar of the murdered men and while I live I shall fight their cause.” These are words spoken by Florence Nightingale, which perfectly sum up how she lived her life. Florence did everything in her honor to improve the quality of healthcare. She laid the foundation for nursing and showed many people how truly important it really is. Florence showed much courage as she saved lives during the Crimean War. Nightingale was a very hard worker and never stopped helping others until the day she died. She was a true hero.
Biographical Information Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 to a formal and respectable family. Due to her suffering of depression and feelings of unworthiness, Nightingale often thought of what she could do
She took took many steps to improve the quality of healthcare. Nightingale drastically improved nurses working conditions, she made sure that nurses had clean and sterile material to work with. She also improved the quality of nursing care and hospital efficiency.
Obstacles and Opponents Nightingale's parents did not approve of her being a nurse, at this time nurses were not as respected as they are now. She came from a very wealthy and respectable family, therefore her parents did not believe that it was a good choice for a woman like her. In 1861, it became hard for Nightingale to continue with her work, as she was diagnosed with spondylitis(Nightingale, Florence 1820-1910). The spondylitis left her unable to walk, but she later over came this.
Social and Political Context
Nightingale's main focus in life was nursing and healthcare. She began training nurses in 1852. When the Crimean war broke out in 1853, Nightingale was asked to lead a group of nursing to care for sick and wounded soldiers. She took 38 nurses with her to the war hospitals. Nightingale and her team provided comfort and care to soldiers on the front lines. Nightingale is famously known as "The Lady with the Lamp". The reason for this is, because when making hospital rounds throughout the night, she always used the light from a gas
She improved the health of households and she also started district nursing. In 1853 she became superintendent of the Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances. Nightingale carried out services during the war and inspected war hospitals. She was concerned about the well being of the British Army, therefore she worked towards improving health. In 1856 she was appointed general superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment. Nightingale founded important scientific ideas, one of which being the Germ Theory of Disease. Many of her ideas have shaped the foundation of nursing(Florence Nightingale). Nightingale wrote books on nursing, one of her widely known books was written in 1859 and is called "Notes on Nursing". Another one of her books is "What is and What is Not" and is about home health improvement. Nightingale also started a nurses training school. The Nightingale Fund was created as a result of respect for Nightingale. In 1907, The Nightingale Training School for Nurses was funded and located at the St. Thomas Hospital. This training school was hands on and brought a more scientific approach to nursing. Nightingale was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit in 1907, which is Britain's highest order. After her death she received the title, "Lady of Grace" from St. John of Jerusalem. Nurses now view Nightingale as a heroin. She is idolized for being an educated, respectable