How important was Florence Nightingale

A. Quick answer is: Very. Nightingale improved nursing conditions in the Crimean War (1851-1854) and won sentimental acclaim for her saintly work. Yet after the war, using unsentimental statistics, she brought about reforms in public health, hospital administration, and sanitary matters. They influenced modern health care and her writings continue to be an inspiration to nurses and health managers.

Florence Nightingale

A. She was born in Italy on 12 May, 1820, and named after her birthplace. (It could have been worse: her elder sister was called Parthenope, after the Greek name for Naples, where she was born). Her wealthy parents, William and Frances, had two homes in England: Lea Hurst in Derbyshire and Embley in Hampshire. Both girls were taught by their father. Florence was accomplished, pretty, and expected to make a good marriage.

Q. So, did she

A. No. Instead she heard the voice of God telling her to do his work. She later found out what that entailed. After caring for the sick in the village, she realised she was meant to become a nurse. That, however, was not considered the profession for a well-educated woman. The family resisted, but while Florence was touring Europe with friends, she took a training course in nursing at Kaiserswerth near Dusseldorf. Upon her return in 1853 she took up a vacancy as superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen during Illness at 1 Harley Street, London.

Q. So how did she get involved in Crimea

A. The Crimean War broke out the next March. (Click here for a feature on the war.) Britain, France and Turkey declared war on Russia. The Russians were defeated at the battle of the Alma in September, but at a terrible cost. Reports in The Times criticised the British medical facilities for the wounded. Sidney Herbert, the Minister of War, knew Florence Nightingale and appointed her to oversee the introduction of woman nurses into military hospitals out there.

Q. And she was welcomed with open arms

A. Oh no. Nightingale arrived at the Barrack Hospital in Scutari, near Constantinople, with the party of 38 nurses on 4 November. At first, the doctors didn't want the nurses there and refused their help. Then casualties piled up from the Battle of Inkermann - and the nurses went into action, earning the undying respect of the British soldiers. The introduction of woman nurses was a huge success that caught the public imagination. In November, 1855, a public subscription collected enough money for Nightingale to continue her nursing reforms in Britain.

Q. Which she did

A. Yes. First priority on her return from the Crimea in August, 1856, was to ensure that the government learned from its mistakes. Nightingale successfully campaigned for a Royal Commission to investigate the health of the British Army. This resulted in an army medical school, better barracks and hospitals.

Q. More successes

A. She then campaigned for the Army in India - helping to improve public health and developing irrigation and the system of land tenure out there. Her outstanding use of statistics to back up her claims led her to becoming, in 1860, the first woman fellow of the Statistical Society. The same year she established the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St Thomas's Hospital. They received a year's training, mainly practical work under the supervision of a ward sister.

Nightingale devoted the rest of her life to the school and, even when bedridden - through diseases picked up in the Crimea - she wrote an open letter to the nurses and probationers giving advice every day. She published more than 200 books and pamphlets. Her best-known work, Notes on Nursing, was published in 1860, translated into 11 languages and is still in print today.

Q. Awards

A. Queen Victoria awarded her the Royal Red Cross in 1883. In 1907 she was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit. Florence Nightingale died at her home in South Street, Mayfair, on 13 August, 1910.

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By Steve Cunningham