Power, Influence, and Reform: Nightingale in the Mid-19th Century

Brunk, Quincealea

Monday, 31 October 2011: 3:15 PM

Quincealea Brunk, BSN, MSN, PhD
Professional Medical Writing, Cedar Rapids, IA

Learning Objective 1: Identify Nightingale's role in public reform in the mid-late 19th century.

Learning Objective 2: Describe international reforms that resulted from Nightingale's influence.

Background: Florence Nightingale is often referred to as the Founder of Modern Nursing. Her exploits in the Crimean War are generally recognized as the impetus for what became professional nursing. Soon after writing Notes on Nursing and founding the St. Thomas training program for nurses, Nightingale took to her bed as a semi-invalid. Her contributions to nursing in other countries during the last half of the 19^th century have been left unexplored.

Aims and objectives: The primary aim of this study was to explore Nightingale’s influence on the development of nursing in Europe and America during the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian wars.

Methods: Historical methods were used to address the aims. Primary data sources of diaries, memoirs, letters, newspapers, and contemporary journals were used in the original historical analysis. These were supplemented by secondary sources as required to develop the context. Because these documents were available through archives and/or public domain, no review board was required prior to conducting the studies.

Findings: Nightingale’s writings and correspondence indicate that she influenced many individuals who would become leaders in the development of professional nursing in America and Europe. At times, her writings show that she was a woman of contradiction, but always a woman of power and a sense of reform.

Conclusions and Implications: Although Nightingale is best known for her contributions in England, she exerted a great influence on military nursing and nursing education during the last half of the 19^th century.

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