What does Florence Nightingale mean to you? - Page 3

Very interesting in that the "heroic" qualities she is known for, came about because of her own mistakes. Don't get me wrong, she certainly was a pioneer in the nursing field, but not necessarily a modern day hero, to say the least. I was quite shocked actually doing research on her, and finding out how tormented she really was throughout her life.

Many people who changed history were complicated, hard to work with, and "tormented." Let's be clear; Florence Nightingale is not a saint. She is a human being with all of the weaknesses and imperfections to which humans are subject. As with all great figures she is admirable not because she was perfect (she wasn't) but because she strove to do important things in spite of her imperfections.

"Nice girls don't make history." (Source unknown)

< --- wonders if other professionals make collages of words associated with early practitioners of their professions.

She was simply the messiah of her time. She had a heart of GOLD and was ready to condescend to be of help to everyone irrespective of social class.

The greatest proclaimer of women's strengths, in a time when that was unthinkable.

Florence Nightingale was the person I know of who first defined nursing as putting the patient in the best possible condition to heal. Is that not much of what nurses do today? We have many more tools, and many more chemicals to help -- but, we still try to provide "good air to breathe"; a sanitary environment -- especially a clean room; a good, balanced diet; good fluids in adequate amounts to drink; appropriate amounts of rest and activity; light; a clean, smooth bed to rest and sleep on; seclusion when desired or necessary; and carefully made and recorded observations to provide needed information to prescribers when they see the patient.

A wealthy, bigot, racist who made a significant contribution to nursing in helping to define the profession. I believe her stature in the profession is largely due to her societal status and being of the appropriate race. This is not to say that she was a bad person, simply a person of her time. I do not think nursing would be what it is today without her. That being said, I think other nurses such as Mary Seacole had just as much influence on defining modern nursing as Nightingale.

How was she racist?

What does Flo mean to me?

Not much. Didn't know her personally . I have no interest in finding heros or anything like that, tho. Just see no purpose in it.

Read about her clinics in the Crimean War and what kind of people were invited and who were refused to work with her. A hint, look into the history of Mary Seacole.

Florence was not a huge fan of "colored" folks, nor was she a fan of those coming from a lower social class than herself.

That being said, she was a product of her time.