Florence Nightingale - To Her Nurses

by Florence Nightingale

A selection from miss Nightingale's addresses to probationers and nurses of the nightingale school at St. Thomases Hospital

Genres: Nursing, Medicine

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Florence Nightingale, OM, RRC was an English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence during the Crimean War for her pioneering work in nursing, and was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night to tend injured soldiers. Nightingale laid the foundation stone of professional nursing with the principles summarised in the book Notes on Nursing. The Nightingale Pledge taken by new nurses was named in her honour, and the annual International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on her birthday.

Reviews

[Carol Owens · Rating 2 out of 5]

No doubt she was committed to her cause but things sure have changed! Not too many holy handmaids left, but a lot of crackerjack brilliant practitioners. I guess she’d be proud.

[Salomé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better and more relevant to today's nurse than her better-known "Notes on Nursing." All nurses will find Florence's advice on night shift nursing, charge nurses and management, overseeing novice nurses, nursing friendships and collegiality, setting a good example for nurses and patients, and other topics to be relevant and inspiring. Florence's deep faith is evident throughout her writings but she reminds nurses that we are not to preach or proselytize to our patients but to let our faith show through our works and our good example. The book itself is not very nicely printed (almost seems like it was run through a old copier) but the words are timeless and inspiring. I draw on this book for quotes and inspiration when I need personal or professional guidance as a nurse.