When the Crimean War began in 1854, the British were unprepared to deal with the number of sick and injured soldiers. She returned to England in 1853 and became the superintendent and manager of a hospital for “gentlewomen” in London. By the time she was 33, Nightingale was already making a name for herself in the nursing community. After finishing her program in Germany, Nightingale went to Paris for extra training with the Sisters of Mercy. Eventually, her father allowed her to go to Germany for three months to study at Pastor Theodore Fliedner’s hospital and school for Lutheran Deaconesses. Nightingale still wanted to be a nurse and refused marriage. Her parents did not approve of her decision and wanted her to get married and raise a family.

However, when she was a teenager, Nightingale believed she received a “calling” from God to help the poor and the sick.Įven though it was not a respected profession at the time, Nightingale told her parents that she wanted to become a nurse.

Growing up in a wealthy family, Florence Nightingale was homeschooled by her father and expected to get married at a young age.

They had a summer home in Derbyshire called Lea Hurst, and a winter home in Hampshire called Embley. When they returned to England in 1821, the Nightingale family lived in two homes. Both Florence and her older sister Parthenope were named after the Italian cities where they were born. Although her parents were from England, she was born in Italy while they were traveling. However, she is mostly known for making hospitals a cleaner and safer place to be.įlorence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy. In addition to writing over 150 books, pamphlets and reports on health-related issues, she is also credited with creating one of the first versions of the pie chart. Often called “the Lady with the Lamp,” Florence Nightingale was a caring nurse and a leader.

Download florence nightingale