Florance Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy. Educated by her father, Florence grew up as an enlightened and educated woman with knowledge of Greek, Latin, German, Italian, French, Mathematics, and History. She graduated from King's College London in London. She studied in Germany for nursing. She was a self-sacrificing and hardworking person, as well as knowing many languages and taking the best form of her education.
Step to Nursing
His family opposed the desire to work in a hospital because hospitals were neglected, crowded, and unhygienic. Thereupon, he did not give up and went around hospitals and observed the patients, and worked on improving the conditions.
In the early 1800s, women who worked as nurses were considered lower class and were not respected. The people gave quite inappropriate meanings to the nursing profession. However, Nightingale denied all social norms. Instead, he devoted himself to philanthropy and to learning and teaching nursing as much as he could.
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| Florence Nightingale |
Completed her education in Germany
Nightingale went to Germany to study nursing against all the negative comments of her family. He studied patient care and hospital management fundamentals there. Two years later, despite her family's opposition, she became the manager of a hospital in London's Harley Street where female patients were treated.
She struggled with depression
Nightingale believed nursing was a divine duty, and her family's constant refusal to support her profession caused her frequent depression. He suffered a mental collapse in 1847. He went to Rome to recuperate, where he met Sidney Herbert, a politician, and war secretary. Herbert became such a good friend to him.
Florence Nightingale Facts
Soldiers named her 'Woman with a Lamp' because she looked after the injured day and night under the harsh conditions of the war.
Participated in the Crimean War
Between 1853 and 1856, he was sent to the military hospital in Selimiye barracks in Selimiye, Istanbul with 38 volunteer nurses and nuns to take care of the wounded soldiers in the British army during the Crimean War. He saw that the hospital in Üsküdar was neglected and people died due to malaria and various infectious diseases. As a result of intense work, he made the hospital suitable for health conditions by removing the necessary materials and deficiencies. As a result of these efforts, the death rate fell from 42 percent to 2 percent. It is possible to find the traces of Nightingale, who made every place she touches beautiful, in our history.
News of Nightingale's work at Scutari reached the press and became known in England. He became known for his effort to reduce mortality and improve hospital conditions, and the Times declared him an 'angel'.
He contracted an infection thought to have come into contact with animals during the Crimean War. Although he returned to his country in the half of the war, he never fully recovered again. Although he struggled with many physical illnesses throughout his life, it is known that his main struggle is with his mind. Upon examination of his experiences, it was concluded that Nightingale had bipolar disorder. Although he struggled endlessly throughout his life, he suffered from severe depression in his last years.
He passed away at the age of 90
Florence Nightingale passed away at the age of 90 in London, England on 13 August 1910. Her birthday is celebrated each year as 'International Nurses Day'. In fact, there are hundreds and thousands of Nightingale in history that we do not know.