Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not

1860

Health Sciences Historical Collection WYA N687

New York: D. Appleton and Co.

The first battle, social reformer and nurse, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) had to fight was against her family. She was born rich and privileged, and at the time, nursing was a profession for low class women. Nightingale’s family were determined to stop her, but luckily they were unable to. Her life-long achievements are too many to list here, but ‘in a nutshell’: Nightingale made nursing a recognised profession; she established the first training school for nurses; she used statistics to highlight deficiencies in healthcare and sanitation; she wrote over 200 books and articles; and she was instrumental in the reform of hospital best practice. Nightingale’s influences on healthcare continue to be felt today. This is Notes on Nursing, her most famous and influential book.