![Black and white: Florence Nightingale, c. 1870. Perry Pictures/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-5877), with text saying: Florence Nightingale, byname Lady with the Lamp, was born this day, May 12, 1820, in Florence, [Italy], and died on August 13, 1910, London, England. She was a British nurse, statistician, and social reformer who was the foundational philosopher of modern nursing. Nightingale was put in charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War. She spent many hours in the wards, and her night rounds giving personal care to the wounded established her image as the “Lady with the Lamp.” Her efforts to formalize nursing education led her to establish the first scientifically based nursing school—the Nightingale School of Nursing, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London (opened 1860). She also was instrumental in setting up training for midwives and nurses in workhouse infirmaries. She was the first woman awarded the Order of Merit in 1907. International Nurses Day, observed annually on May 12, commemorates her birth and celebrates the important role of nurses in health care.](https://www.360onhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Florence-Nightingale-864x467.png)
![Black and white: Florence Nightingale, c. 1870. Perry Pictures/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-5877), with text saying: Florence Nightingale, byname Lady with the Lamp, was born this day, May 12, 1820, in Florence, [Italy], and died on August 13, 1910, London, England. She was a British nurse, statistician, and social reformer who was the foundational philosopher of modern nursing. Nightingale was put in charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War. She spent many hours in the wards, and her night rounds giving personal care to the wounded established her image as the “Lady with the Lamp.” Her efforts to formalize nursing education led her to establish the first scientifically based nursing school—the Nightingale School of Nursing, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London (opened 1860). She also was instrumental in setting up training for midwives and nurses in workhouse infirmaries. She was the first woman awarded the Order of Merit in 1907. International Nurses Day, observed annually on May 12, commemorates her birth and celebrates the important role of nurses in health care.](https://www.360onhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Florence-Nightingale.png)
Florence Nightingale, c. 1870.
Perry Pictures/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-5877)
Saima Baig
I am a Chartered Environmentalist from the Royal Society for the Environment, UK and co-owner of DoLocal Digital Marketing Agency Ltd, with a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University, an MBA in Finance, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics. I am passionate about science, history and environment and love to create content on these topics.
