Moreover, religion plays a very important role in her life. Indeed, Florence believes that nursing is a way to serve God and humanity, with the aim of reducing human suffering. In 1851, she manages to train as a nurse, despite her parents’ reluctance, who felt that this profession was not suitable for her social rank. In 1853, she becomes superintendent of the Institution For Sick Gentlewoman where she was able to improve nursing care, working conditions, and hospital efficiency.

Nursing Career

On October 21, 1854, while the Crimean War was in full swing, Florence and 38 other volunteer nurses trained by her travel to Turkey, under the authorization of Sidney Herbert, to provide care to the British army. On site, she discovers a most deplorable sanitary situation: overwhelmed medical staff, neglected patients, limited treatments, common and fatal infections (typhoid, cholera…). Faced with this, Florence and her colleagues undertake to clean the hospital as well as all equipment, and to reorganize patient care. She implemented care standards such as bathing, clean clothing and dressings, and appropriate food. She even paid attention to the psychological needs of soldiers by writing letters to their families and through educational and recreational activities. She is nicknamed “The Lady with the Lamp” as she wandered through the patient wards at night as well, proof of her dedication. According to figures, she managed to reduce the mortality rate by 2%.

Contribution to Statistics

Florence Nightingale is also recognized for her work in the field of statistics. In 1857, upon her return to Great Britain, she is rewarded by Queen Victoria for her work. She also contributes to the establishment of the Royal Commission for the Health of the Army, of which Sidney Herbert becomes president. Having experienced the Crimean War firsthand, she uses the information she gathered there to conduct a study on mortality in the British army. This study is summarized in a 1000-page document, and establishes the link between poor hygiene and health conditions and the high mortality rate within the British army. To support her arguments, she uses different statistical methods and data representation techniques, such as coxcombs (circular diagrams).

This coxcomb was divided into 12 slices representing the months of the year, with the shaded area of each month’s slice being proportional to the mortality rate for that month. Its color-coded shading indicates the cause of death in each area of the diagram. Thus, the areas of the gray zones are proportional to the number of deaths due to infectious diseases. The areas of the pink zones are proportional to the number of deaths due to injuries. The areas of the black zones are proportional to the number of deaths due to other causes. The areas of the gray, pink, and black parts are all measured from the center of the diagram. A black line allows one to see when the black area is below another area (e.g., November 1854). In October 1854 and April 1855, the black area and the pink area are identical, which is why only one color is visible. The same is true in January and February 1856 for the gray and black areas.

Through the graph below, Florence was able to explain that better health conditions would reduce the mortality rate from 30% to 15-20% among soldiers aged 20 to 40.

Nightingale also managed to prove that 90% of patients in London hospitals died compared to only 60% for patients who did not go to the hospital. She also conducted a complete statistical study of the sanitary system in Indian rural areas, which led to the improvement of medical care and public health services in India.

Florence also contributed to improving the quality of army data by criticizing their inconsistency and significant variation depending on the sources. For example, she was able to establish that due to inadequate data collection, the number of deaths recorded by the hospital in Crimea corresponded to only one-seventh of the actual number of deaths.

 

In 1855, while she was still in Turkey, the Nightingale Fund was created to honor her work. In 1860, she established the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas “Hospital. Today, this school is called the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, which aims to train nurses and midwives, and belongs to King’s College London. In 1860, the book Notes on Nursing, written by Florence, was published. This small 136-page book served as a cornerstone for the Nightingale School’s curriculum, as well as” for other schools founded later.

In 1883, Nightingale was awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria. In 1907, she became the first woman to be awarded the Order of Merit. In 1908, she was granted the Honorary Freedom of the City of London. In recognition of her work in statistics, she became the first female member of the Royal Statistical Society.

Today, Florence is still honored, both in the field of health and in the field of statistics. The Florence Museum in London is dedicated to her, and International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12, her birthday. Many foundations and hospitals bear her name.

Florence is also recognized for her commitment to English feminism. She wrote Suggestions for Thought to Searchers after Religious Truth (a collection of ideas addressed to those seeking religious truth). It is a three-volume book, one part of which, entitled Cassandra, denounces the excessive feminization of women, which pushes them to be entirely dependent and incapable of managing on their own.

Written by Océane G. and Lobélie N.

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Florence-Nightingale/Homecoming-and-legacy https://mefics.org/fr/florence-nightingale-th%C3%A9orie-environnementale/

https://www.techno-science.net/glossaire-definition/Florence-Nightingale-page-3.html

https://thisisstatistics.org/florence-nightingale-the-lady-with-the-data/

https://www.techno-science.net/glossaire-definition/Florence-Nightingale-page-3.html

https://blog.reeport.io/fr/les-diagrammes-circulaires-ou-la-data-visualisation-pour-convaincre

https://jeanneemard.wordpress.com/2020/05/20/florence-nightingale-infirmiere-et-statisticienne/