Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale drastically changed what it meant to be a

nurse in the 1800s, and is a quintessential example of what a nurse
should be. She was compassionate, hard-working and out to make a
difference. When she was younger, she felt she had a purpose, but
didnt know what it was. As she matured, she developed a deep
interest in nursing because she wanted to help cure the sick. During
her lifetime she improved many aspects regarding health care. Her
most famous feat may have been improving hygiene and sanitary
conditions during the Crimean War. She also prompted worldwide
health care reform through writing, helped advocate for hunger
relief in India and made it more acceptable for women to work.
Nightingale also created the worlds first nursing school at St.
Thomas's Hospital, helping distinguish nursing as a profession
instead of a working class job. Her tireless efforts to improve hospital
conditions substantially reduced the death count, possibly as much as
two thirds. Her enormous impact on the medical field was creating a
more hygienic workspace and spreading knowledge to improve
patient care.