Florence Nightingale
Darani Vasudevan
Florence Nightingale
(Biographies for children)
Darani Vasudevan
Preface, This is a Biography of Florence Nightingale. The words used are simple and suit people of all ages. Some of the important events happened in her life are listed in the succeeding pages. Hope you like it!! - V. Darani M.Sc., M.Phil., SET
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“You ask me why I do not write something...I think one’s feeling waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results” Florence Nightingale
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Name: Florence Nightingale Born: 12th May 1820 Place of Birth: Villa Colombaia, Florence, Italy. Father: William Edward Nightingale Mother: Frances Nightingale Died: 13th August 1910 Place of Death: 10, South Street, Mayfair, London
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Florence belonged to an Upper class family. She learned Greek, Latin, Italian, French and Germany. Her parents wanted her to exceed in education. Her governess taught her music and drawing while her father taught her history and philosophy. During her days, the Upper class girls are expected to grow up into “Proper Ladies� who would devote their life for
their
family,
husband,
entertainment, society and culture. Her family is not an exception. Her parents wished Florence to grow up
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into a “Proper Lady” as mentioned in their society. During a family tour to Europe in 1838, Florence got personally attached to a Parisian hostess named Mary Clarke. Her thoughts and actions inspired Florence. Clarke didn’t care about her external appearance and she considered upper class British women as “inconsequential.” She also said that she would accept the freedom of the galleys if she is asked to choose between being a woman or a galley slave.
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Florence acquired a new idea from Clarke which was never uttered by her mother, “Women could be equal to men” These words made Florence to gain a strong desire of devoting her entire life to the service of others. She got a dream that her family would deny her from achieving- the dream “to become a nurse.” She gathered her confidence and announced her decision to her family in 1844. As expected, her family
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opposed her decision and she accepted it due to the respect she had on them. But her heart rebelled against the respected role for a woman of her status to become a wife and mother. Nursing those days was considered as an occupation with little respect. People often thought that no special training, skills or education is needed to become a nurse. She educated herself in the art of nursing and science for 9 years. She achieved her goal at the age of 33.
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Florence started her work at the Harley Street Nursing Home in 1853 where she got efficient training and organization technique. During her stay she implemented a system that piped hot water every floor to ensure germ free environment and for the proper care of the patients. She also created a lift to shift meals for the patients. She believed that her attraction to nursing was “God’s will� and hence she made many personal sacrifices to
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pursue her professional life with dedication. She refused marriage as she thought that it would affect her ability and passion for nursing. She travelled around Greece and Egypt. During her travel in Athens, she rescued an owl from a group of children.
She
named
that
owl
“Athena” and carried it in her pocket, until it passed away. On 22nd August 1853, Florence took the post of “Superintendent” at the
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institute for the care of sick Gentle women
in
Upper
Harley
Street,
London. She held the position till October 1854. Her father sent her 500 pound sterling every month which allowed her to follow
her
dream
without
any
interruption. The nurses didn’t receive proper recognition and respect. Some doctors denied nurses into the wards. But the Battle of Inkerman changed the position of nurses in hospitals. During that battle, the British suffered many
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injuries and the hospitals turned overcrowded. The doctors couldn’t pay proper attention to each and every patient. They were forced to seek help from nurses. In late 1854, Florence received a letter from
Secretary
of
war,
Sidney
Herbert, asking her to organise a corps of nurse to look after the sick and injured soldiers in Crimea. The hospital conditions in Seutari Turkey during the Crimean war were horrible. Florence was shocked by the view she had inside the hospital. The
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wounded soldiers lay on straw mats which lined the room like a coffins. The floor was covered with blood and dirt. The soldiers wore their blood stained uniform and no hospital gowns were provided to them. Florence decided to change the view and make the hospital a more efficient place. She scrubbed the clothes of injured men. She spent her own money to buy bandages and other basic necessities of the hospitals. The other nurses cleaned the whole hospital and made it contamination free thereby they put
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an end to the spread of diseases. They cared each and every patient and cured them. She asked her fellow nurses to comfort patients by moving about each floor with a lamp in hand. She began the night care of patients. Due to her service, she was loved by all and they adorned her with the title “Lady with the lamp.” She also got the title “The Angel of the Crimea.” Florence made it her mission to improve
hygiene
practices,
in
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lowering the death rate at the hospitals in the process; After renovation, Florence sent reports to London mentioning the conditions needed for the hospitals and the care that must be offered to patient. On
29th
November
1855,
the
Nightingale Fund was established in Crimea for honouring the work. The fund was utilized for the training of nurses.
Florence
invested
45000
Pound sterling from the Nightingale fund and the reward she got from queen Victoria to establish “The
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Nightingale training school at St. Thomas Hospital” on 9th July 1860. Now it is named as the “Florence Nightingale school of Nursing and midwifery” and it is a part of King’s college, London. Florence wrote “Notes on nursing” in 1859 for the education of those nursing at home. 1883- Became the first recipient of the Royal Red cross; 1904- Appointed as the Lady of Grace of the order of St. John;
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1907- Became the first woman to be awarded the “order of merit” Her
birthday
International
is
celebrated
chronic
as
fatigue
syndrome (CFS) Awareness day. She was
bedridden
since
1857
and
suffered from depression. On 13 August 1910, at the age of 90 she died peacefully in her sleep at 10 South Street, Mayfair, London. She was buried in the graveyard at St. Margaret’s church in East Wellow, Hampshire, England.
near
Embley
Park,
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“The Florence Nightingale Museum at the site of the original Nightingale Training School for Nurses houses more than 2000 artefacts describing the life and career of Florence Nightingale�
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Her selfless devotion and strong determination Florence changed the profession of nursing forever. She gave dignity and honour to the profession which still continues as a female- dominated profession. We receive proper care at hospitals and this lady gain tribute for that. “The lady who honoured nursing a great reputation in the society later became an icon of Victorian culture.�
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“The ultimate destination of all nursing is the nursing of the sick in their own homes. I look to the abolition of all hospitals and workhouse infirmaries� -Florence Nightingale
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“So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.” -Florence Nightingale “Every great thing had a beginning” so never let your dreams to hide behind invaluable reasons. Life is to live – to live your dreams. Overcome the difficulties and grow up high!!
All the best
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