Born in Florence, Italy to wealthy, liberal members of the English upper - class, Florence Nightengale knew early on in life that she did not want to lead a life devoted solely to family and the pleasures of society. According to Florence, she "craved for something worth doing instead of frittering time away on useless trifles." In 1845, at the age of 25, Florence announced to her family that she would become a nurse. Her mother was dismayed; she didn't want her beautiful and refined daughter to take up an occupation and be degraded by such menial work!
Determined to pursue her calling, Florence began to study public health, and soon, became one of the day's experts on public health and hospitals. In 1850, Florence entered the Institute of Protestant Deaconesses at Kaiserwerth, Germany, and became superintendent of the Hospital for Gentlewomen in 1853. She was so successful that when the Crimean War broke out in 1854, Florence, along with 38 other nurses set off for Turkey to help aide the sick and afflicted there at the British government's request.
Conditions at the Scutari hospital were horrible. There were no clean clothes, no bandages, no operating tables, and too few doctors. Even so, the medical staff still did not want to accept Florence's help. They were finally forced to because she had the authority to purchase supplies. She immediately took charge of the sanitation, and attended the wounded herself. Every night, she would make her rounds offering comfort and council to the soldiers, who soon began to know her as the Lady with the Lamp.
Florence returned to England in 1856 a national hero, but fame wasn't her priority. She had one purpose in mind: to reform the health administration of the British army. Although her health began to decline rapidly during the next five years, Florence still continued her work of reform from her bedside. As the day's leader on public health, Florence was consulted on hospital and sanitation advise in America and throughout Europe.
In 1860, Florence established the first school for nurses, called the Nightengale Training School at St. Thomas's Hospital in London, and her book, Notes on Nursing became a best - seller. In November of 1902, King Edward III made her the first woman ever to receive the Order of Merit, which is one of Britain's highest honors. By the time Florence died in 1910, she was already a legend, for she had been able to transform the despised occupation of nursing into a legitimate occupation for women.