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Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. Her family was wealthy so she didn't need to work, but she felt she had a calling. Read more about her in this link:

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Have you or your family ever been poorly and had to go to hospital? Did you notice all the hard work the nurses were doing to care for the patients and help them get better?

Today, nurses are recognised as important, super-skilled professionals. But that hasn't always been the case. Believe it or not, at the start of the 19th century, nurses usually had no training at all, and they weren't even paid for the 'menial' work they did! But one woman changed all that... meet the amazing Florence Nightingale.

Florence Nightingale facts

Who was Florence Nightingale?

Florence Nightingale was born in the city of Florence, , on 12 May 1820 whilst her parents were enjoying a long honeymoon. And yup, you guessed it - that's how she got her name! Her parents were called William and Fanny Nightingale, and she had one older sister, too - Frances Parthenope, AKA 'Pop'.

William Nightingale was a wealthy banker and was able to provide his family with a very privileged life. They had servants and two lovely houses - a winter home in Hampshire and a summer home in Derbyshire.

At the time that Florence was a youngster, most girls didn't go to school - in fact, many didn't receive any education at all! But William was keen for his daughters to learn, and gave them lessons in lots of different subjects, including science, history and maths.

What did Florence Nightingale do?

In Victorian Britain, wealthy women like Florence weren't expected to work - their job was to marry and look after the home. Daily life was spent seeing to servants, entertaining guests, reading, sewing and attending social events. But Florence saw something very different for her future. When she was 16 years old, she believed she heard a voice from God calling for her to carry out important work to help those suffering. She wanted to be a nurse.

When Florence broke the news to her parents, they weren't too happy! Nursing was not a respectful profession and, what's more, hospitals were filthy, horrible places where sick people died - certainly no place for wealthy girl like Florence! William tried hard to change his daughter's mind, but Florence was determined. In 1851, he gave in, and allowed Florence to study nursing at a Christian school for women in . There, she learned important skills in caring for patients and the importance of hospital cleanliness.

It wasn't long before Florence put her new skills to the test. By 1853 she was running a women's hospital in London, where she did a fantastic job improving the working conditions as well as patient care.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Florence Nightingale primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

The Crimean War

In 1854, the Crimean War broke out - a war with Britain, and Turkey on one side, and on the the other. British troops went off to fight in the Crimea - an area in the south of Russia, now part of Ukraine. News soon reached home of soldiers dying from battle wounds, cold, hunger and sickness, with no real medical care or nurses to treat them. Help was needed fast, and the Minister for War - called Sidney Herbert - knew just the person... He asked Florence to lead a team of nurses to the Crimea!

When they arrived, the nurses found the Army hospital in Scutari (the area where wounded soldiers were sent) in a terrible state. It was overcrowded and filthy, with blocked drains, broken toilets and rats running everywhere. Imagine the smell! There weren't enough medical supplies or equipment, and wounded soldiers had to sleep on the dirty floor, without blankets to keep warm, clean water to drink or fresh food to eat. Not surprisingly, disease spread quickly and most of the soldiers died from infection.

Florence Nightingale to the rescue!

Florence knew that the soldiers could only get well again if the hospital conditions improved. With funds from back home, she bought better medical equipment and decent food, and paid for workmen to clear the drains. And together with her team, she cleaned the wards, set up a hospital kitchen and provided the wounded soldiers with quality care - bathing them, dressing their wounds and feeding them. As a result of all the improvements, far fewer soldiers were dying from disease.

Why was Florence Nightingale the Lady with the Lamp?

Florence Nightingale truly cared for her suffering patients. At night, when everyone was sleeping, she'dvisit the soldiers to make sure they were comfortable. She'd also write letters home for those who could not write themselves. Since Florence carried a lantern with her on her night visits, the soldiers would call her ' The Lady with the Lamp'.

Florence after the Crimean War

By the time Florence returned to England in 1856, she'd made quite a name for herself. After newspapers wrote about her work in the Crimea, people thought of her as a heroine. Queen Victoria wrote her a letter to say thank you for everything she had done. Cool, eh?

But Florence had no care for fame, and even though the war was over, there was still work to be done. She set about writing letters to important people telling them what was wrong with Army hospitals, and in September 1856 she met with Queen Victoria to discuss ways to improve military medical systems. Huge reform took place - the Army started to train doctors, hospitals became cleaner and soldiers were provided with better clothing, food and care. Go, Flo!

In 1860, the Nightingale Training School for Nurses opened at St Thomas's Hospital in London. Not only did the school provide excellent nurse training, it made nursing a respectable career for women who wanted to work outside the home.

How is Florence Nightingale remembered?

Florence suffered from illness for much of her later life, largely because of all her hard work helping sick people. In fact, during her final 40 years she spent many days confined to her bed. But she was greatly appreciated for everything she did for nursing, and for saving the lives of thousands of people. In 1907, Florence became the first woman to receive the Order of Merit, an award given by the queen for super-special work.

Sadly, Florence Nightingale died on 13 of August 1910, but she will forever be recognised as the founder of modern nursing.

What do you think of our Florence Nightingale facts? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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Florence Nightingale facts for kids | National Geographic Kids

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Discover the founder of modern day nursing in our Florence Nightingale facts. Where was Florence born? What did she do? Why was she the Lady with the Lamp?

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What do you know about the Nursing Lamp? Click on this link to learn about it and other Nursing symbols. https://thenerdynurse.com/nurse-symbols-origin-history/

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Need some nursing vocabulary? Click here to learn new words.

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Hormone: a substance released by a gland that influences the body's emotions, growth, digestion, and other processes

Immunization: the act of protecting a person from disease

Insurance: a guarantee by a company or government to pay for certain medical expenses if you have pay a premium beforehand

Prenatal: before birth

Vital signs: clinical measurements that indicate the state of a patient's body functions

Weight: the mass of a person

3. Vocabulary for Diseases

AIDS: acquired immune deficiency syndrome; caused by HIV; a very serious immune system disease that often results in death

Anemia: a deficiency of red blood cells

Anorexia: a prolonged starving of the self

Antidote: a medicine that reverses the effects of a poison

Anxiety: an unpleasant worrying about the future

Bacteria: single-celled organisms that can be either beneficial or harmful

Cure: something that gets rid of a disease or disability

Dehydration: not having enough water

Depression: a prolonged feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that may be accompanied by hormonal changes in the body

Disorder: when one is affected by an abnormal condition

Fracture: breaking of something, such as bone

Frenzy: a state of madness or uncontrolled behavior

Hazard: something, including a chemical or activity, that is harmful to someone's health

HIV: the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS; spread through bodily fluids

Hyperglycemia: having excess sugar in the blood

Hypertension: high blood pressure

Infertility: the inability to or difficulty with becoming pregnant and having children

Inflammation: a swelling of a body part due to an infection, usually by a virus or bacteria

Influenza: a highly contagious viral disease that resembles a cough; causes fever, aches, and general discomfort

Kidney disease: an inability of the kidney to carry out its normal functions; often a very expensive disease to treat

Lead poisoning: being exposed to toxic lead (an element) and exhibiting symptoms such as impaired memory and loss of muscle control

Metabolism: chemical processes that help a person digest food and maintain life

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Nursing Vocabulary. 55 most important words and phrases explained - MyEnglishTeacher.eu Blog

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Hormone: a substance released by a gland that influences the body's emotions, growth, digestion, and other processes Immunization: the act of protecting a person from disease Insurance: a guarantee by a company or government to pay for certain medical expenses if you have pay a premium beforehand Prenatal: before birth Vital signs: clinical measurements that indicate the state of a patient's body functions Weight: the mass of a person 3.

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Do you want to know some interesting facts about Nurses? Click here for 45 interesting and fun Nursing facts.

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Becoming a registered nurse is the ultimate goal for a lot of men and women looking to enter the medical field. Registered nurses work directly with patients to provide care and have a wealth of knowledge and skills to offer, but there might be a few things that you didn't know about registered nurses. Without further ado, here are 45 fun, interesting and surprising facts about registered nurses.

1. Florence Nightingale, a British nurse, and statistician, is considered to be the mother of modern nursing for her influence on how nurses were educated and viewed by society.

2. Florence Nightingale shaped the healthcare industry during the Crimean War when she introduced the concepts of hand hygiene, fresh air for patients, cleaning tools between patients, and other sanitation practices which resulted in saving many soldiers' lives.

3. Florence Nightingale lived from 1820 to 1910 and was born in Italy although she was raised in England. She established the first scientifically-based nursing school 1860 appropriately named the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas Hospital in London.

4. The symbol for nursing is a lamp. Florence Nightingale was famous for carrying a lamp with her at night as she made her way between the tents of wounded and ill soldiers during the Crimean War, and was often referred to as "the lady with the lamp". She also made the white nursing cap, used to hold hair back, famous and synonymous with the nursing profession.

5. Nursing caps are now usually only worn in ceremonies, often during graduation ceremonies for new nurses to symbolize their welcome into the profession. The famous hats have stopped being worn due to the fact that they can collect microbes (bacteria and viruses) and become unsanitary.

6. Nurses are considered one of the most trustworthy and ethical professions in the United States. In the year 2020, nurses were voted the #1 most trustworthy and ethical professionals for the 18 th year in a row. The nursing profession beats out doctors, policemen, firemen, teachers, and even clergy.

7. In the United States, the fourth week of May is National Nurses Week, and May 8 th is Student Nurses Day. May 12 is Florence Nightingale's birthday which is International Nurses Day.

8. On average, nurses walk four to five miles during a 12-hour shift. For comparison, most Americans only walk two to three miles during an 18-hour day.

9. The most common work-related injury reported by nurses is back pain and injuries caused by the lifting and moving of patients.

10. The first nursing school in the United States was established in 1873 in New York City. Bellevue City Hospital's nursing program was one year long and was based on the principles of nursing set-forth by Florence Nightingale. The New England Hospital for Women and Children's nursing program was opened shortly after.

11. About 40% of nurses don't work in hospitals. Other places that nurses work, besides hospitals, are outpatient clinics, schools, home health care clinics, health departments, insurance companies, occupational health clinics, law offices, nursing and long-term care centers, and telehealth centers.

12. Nurses can work in virtually any health care specialty, and there are 104 different specialties for nurses to choose from. Nurses are found in pediatrics, obstetrics, critical care, mental health, surgery, special procedures, infusion centers, and wound care to name a few.

13. Nurses can work in other industries that are not patient care focused. Other popular industries are health insurance, writing, business, and informatics.

14. All nurses must pass the NCLEX in order to practice as a registered nurse. The exam is standardized across all of the states in the U.S. and assesses basic competency for practice.

15. The NCLEX exam is different for everyone. The exam can be between 75 and 265 questions long and pulls from a bank of thousands of questions.

16. As of October 2020, the pass rate for the NCLEX was 74.73%.

17. Many nurses earn master's and doctorate degrees to become advanced practice nurses, teach in nursing programs, and perform nursing research.

18. There are currently more than 996 baccalaureate nursing programs in the United States.

19. Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, MD, is consistently ranked as having the #1 MSN, DNP, and online nursing programs in the United States.

20. Nurses can work in law firms! Registered nurses and advanced practice nurses can earn a Legal Nurse Consultant certificate and work with lawyers as part of a litigation team. Legal Nurse Consultants can also work as an independent contractor and work with many law firms. These nurses serve as expert witnesses and review medical charts.

21. Nurses can join the military. The U.S. Army Nurse Corps was created in 1901 as part of the U.S. Army Medical Department.

22. During World War II, more than 59,000 nurses served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.

23. Most of the women (90%) who served in the Vietnam War were Army and Navy nurses.

24. Nurses can also serve in the military in the Navy and Air Force branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

25. Registered nurses can either have an associate's degree (ADN) or a bachelor's degree (BSN). However, according to a survey in 2018 performed by the AACN, 46% of employers require new hire nurses to have a bachelor's degree.

26. Nursing is the largest health care profession. According to the AACN, there are 3.8 registered nurses in the nation.

27. Nursing is a fast-growing profession. The federal government predicts that 200,000 new nursing jobs will be created each year between 2016 and 2026. That's 2 million nursing positions!

28. Registered nurses' salaries depend on many factors and vary across the country. How much a nurse is paid largely depends on their experience, where they work, the specialty they work in, which shift they work, the level of education (BSN versus AND), and any special certifications earned.

29. As of 2020, California is the best-paying state for nurses to work in with an average hourly wage of $54.44, and an annual average salary of $113,240. South Dakota is the lowest paying state with an average hourly wage of $28.63, and an annual average salary of $59,540.

30. There are more than three times the amount of nurses in the United States than there are physicians.

31. There is a great need for nurses to earn advanced degrees, such as masters and doctoral degrees. In 2018, only 17.1% of nurses had master's degrees and 1.9% of nurses earned doctoral degrees.

32. There are two types of doctoral nursing degrees that nurses can earn, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. DNP degrees are nursing practice-focused and often earned by nurse practitioners. Ph.D. degrees are research and philosophy-focused and typically earned by nurses who want to teach nursing at a variety of levels and/or conduct research.

33. Registered nurses can become advanced practitioners who see their own patients, make medical diagnoses, and prescribe medication. Advanced practice nurses (APN's) must earn a master's degree and pass the credentialing examination to earn a license.

34. As of August 2020, there were more than 290,000 nurse practitioners (APN's) in the United States. Of those, 89.7% work in primary care.

35. Travel nurses get paid to work all over the country through travel nursing agencies. Travel nurses can accept assignments in all 50 states and contracts generally range from 4-13 weeks long. When these nurses are not working, they can sightsee and meet new people. Travel nursing is a great way to make lifelong friends and gain both professional and personal experiences.

36. Travel nursing can be incredibly lucrative. Most agencies provide sign-on bonuses, pay for housing and food expenses, and get reimbursed for travel expenses.

37. Travel nurses are needed for virtually any specialty. From OR to PACU, critical care to med-surg, and pediatrics to labor and delivery, if travel nursing interests you there is most likely a position for you too.

38. The first documented travel nurses were present in the late 1970s when nurses were brought to New Orleans specifically to help care for the surge of people present for Mardi Gras.

39. As of October 2020, there were more than 4 million registered nurses in the United States. The average age of those nurses is 47.9 years old and almost half of the nurses (47.5%) are aged 50 and older.

40. Men are a growing portion of nurses in the United States. In 2018, men made up 9.6% of the total nursing population which was an increase from 7.1% in 2008.

41. Registered nurses can become nurse anesthetists by attending a doctoral graduate nurse anesthetists program. These programs are four years long, and usually require at least two years of adult critical care experience prior to admittance into a program. In 2015 there were 115 accredited nurse anesthetist programs in the United States.

42. The average yearly salary for nurse anesthetists was $181,040 in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

43. Nurse midwives practice independently and are licensed to prescribe medications and provide women's reproductive health and childbirth care.

44. Nurses can be midwives by obtaining a master's degree in nurse-midwifery from an accredited program. In 2019 there were 38 such programs in the United States.

45. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, in 2019 there were approximately 12,400 nurse-midwives in the United States.

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Becoming a registered nurse is the ultimate goal for a lot of men and women looking to enter the medical field. Registered nurses work directly with patients to provide care and have a wealth of knowledge and skills to offer, but there might be a few things that you didn't know about registered nurses.

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Here is the procedure for proper handwashing according to the World Health Organization.

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Watch this video for great interview tips! This video is specific for nurses. Good luck on your next interview!

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Top 10 Nursing Interview Questions and Answers I Indeed Career Tips