Florence Nightingale Biography PDF

**Credentials and Background of the Theorist** **Florence Nightingale** -- the founder of the modern nursing. - Born on **May 12, 1820**, in **Florence Italy** and was named after her birthplace. - In **1837** (at age **17**), Nightingale wrote about her "calling" in her diary: **"God...

**Credentials and Background of the Theorist** **Florence Nightingale** -- the founder of the modern nursing. - Born on **May 12, 1820**, in **Florence Italy** and was named after her birthplace. - In **1837** (at age **17**), Nightingale wrote about her "calling" in her diary: **"God spoke to me and called me to his service".** - She completed her nursing training in **1851** (at age **31**) at **kaiserwerth, Germany** - Arrived at **Scutari** in **November 1854 (age 34**) accompanied by 34 new recruits who met her criteria for professional nursing -- young, middle-class women with a basic general education (unlike the "nurses" of the time. - Environmental Problems: includes lack of sanitation and the presence of filth (few chamber pots, contaminated water, contaminated bed linens, and overflowing cesspools). In addition soldiers were faced with exposure, frostbite, louse infestations, wound infections, and opportunistic diseases as they recovered from their battle wounds. - Called as **"The Mother of the Lamp"** as immortalized in the poem **"Santa Filomena"** (Longfellow, 1857) - She used to establish schools for nursing training at **St. Thomas's Hospital** and **King's College Hospital in London** - At the age of **80**, she wrote between 15,000 -- 20, 000 letters - She lost her vision; died in her sleep **on August 13, 1910**, at the age of **90**