Florence Nightingale The angel of nursing and compassion Known as the "Lady with the lamp" She was a living legend and one of the most important women in British history Her method set new standards of hygiene for modern nursing and revolutionized the world health system Until her last days of life she campaigned for better sanitary conditions in military and civilian hospitals Florence became known as the "Mother of modern nursing" The "Lamp of Charity", who practiced love and compassion for the art of caring Born in 1820 in Florence on Italy, she was the daughter of English from a wealthy family who returned to live in England, when Florence was a year old She has unusual intelligence, determination and perseverance what allowed her to talk to politicians and officials of the Army, making prevail her ideas Florence thought far beyond her time She mastered several languages, studied mathematics, history and other subjects with her father She didn't just accept to enjoy a superficial life and fought against the few opportunities offered to young women in her position She faced social impositions and rules, not accepting the role of a rich girl created only to marry, be submissive and give birth to children Florence felt a call from God from an early age and believed that she was destined to do something bigger in her life. Her religion gave her a strong sense of moral duty, to help the poor. And over time she felt that nursing was her God-given vocation.
Paid nursing had a reputation for being a job for poor women, generally elderly and the popular image was drunkenness, profanity and a casual attitude towards patients Despite her parents' concern and disapproval Florence persisted in her ambition by reading everything she could, about health and hospitals Finally, she convinced them to allow her to take a three-month nursing training at an inspiring teaching hospital in Germany She also concluded many nursing courses in religious schools across Europe Moved by newspaper reports in 1854 about the plight of Soldiers in the Crimean war Florence responded to a government call by nurses and joined a group of 38 volunteers, among religious and lay, from different hospitals And they went to Scutari near Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, Turkey. Some of the nurses were dismissed for their inability to adapt and indiscipline, but, Florence's determination and work were unmatched. Her commitment to both the organization and the work method, even the simplest services such as floor cleaning have improved cure rates and reduced deaths Florence was dedicated to everything that could make the stay of patients through the hospital more comfortable, which led her to the position of chief nurse Before her arrival, local conditions were terrible The dirty, worm-infested hospital even lacked basic equipment and supplies The medical staff was overwhelmed by a large number of soldiers sent from the war in the Crimea But, the patients had more diseases and infections such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery than battle wounds Many were surrounded by dirt, blood and gunpowder stains The sight was pitiful Despite of these conditions, even in need of more help, the behavior and prejudice of the time, made the army doctors dismiss the help of Florence and her nurses Women were not valued and, in the beginning, they saw their opinions as an attack on their professionalism But, after new victims arrived from the battle and doctors noticed improvement, after the hygiene methods applied by Florence the team was expanded and accepted the help of Nurses Florence and her team improved medical and sanitary practices, set up cafeterias, washed clothes and sheets, wrote home on behalf of the Soldiers and created reading rooms.
They made a chaotic environment in a clean, comfortable and a place for better coexistence They brought compassion and humanity to soldiers and doctors The love of serving already demonstrated her vocation in nursing The mortality rate also fell, after they better ventilated the environment and isolated the sewage below the hospital But, not everyone was supportive of the requests because , many military personnel paid more attention to the problems and conflicts of the war, than to the structure of the hospitals Most felt that Florence did not respect their superiors and was very authoritarian and rude, sometimes There was resistance to receiving orders and suggestions from a woman and a nurse. being considered less important than them But, Florence was determined to encourage educated and reputable women, to study and work in the field. So, she continued her struggle to improve the health conditions of patients and expect respect for women in general and those in the nursing class A curiosity about Florence Nightingale Why she is called the "Lady with the Lamp "?
Florence earned her nickname during her work in Scutari Often she spent sleepless nights and walked among the beds, checking the health of the wounded, carrying a paper lantern in her hand and offering care and encouragement to the sick men The image of the Lady with the the lamp captured the public's imagination and Florence soon became an icon and a celebrity receiving the nickname as the "Guardian Angel of Soldiers".
