1.Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May 1820 into a wealthy and well-connected British family at the Villa Colombaia, in Florence, Tuscany, Italy, and was named after the city of her birth.
2.From a very young age, Florence Nightingale was active in philanthropy, ministering to the ill and poor people in the village neighboring her family’s estate. By the time she was 16 years old, it was clear to her that nursing was her calling. She believed it to be her divine purpose.
3.On 4 November 1854, Florence Nightingale arrived in Turkey with a group of 38 nurses from England. Britain was at war with Russia and the conditions in the hospitals were very bad. Hundreds of soldiers were injured in the fighting.
4.Florence gained the nickname 'the Lady with the Lamp' during her work at Scutari. 'The Times' reported that at night she would walk among the beds, checking the wounded men holding a light in her hand. The image of 'the Lady with the Lamp' captured the public's imagination and Florence soon became a celebrity.
5.Florence’s work and achievement cannot be understated. She turned nursing into a respectable profession for women. Previously with the exception of nuns, most women who worked as nurses were working-class and often poorly trained and disciplined. Florence was determined to educate women in the field of nursing and turn it into a respectable occupation. Due in large part to her work in Crimea, Florence helped to transform the public image of nursing.
