Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May She was named after the city in which she was born. She had rich parents.

Florence wanted to be a nurse. Her parents said ‘No’ but she trained to be a nurse anyway.

A war began in Crimea in Florence saw pictures of soldiers wounded and she wanted to help.

Florence was disappointed when she saw how dirty the hospitals in Crimea were. Nurses did not care.

Florence and her nurses cleaned up the hospitals and looked after the wounded soldiers properly.

Florence became known as the ‘lady with the lamp’. She walked around the hospital carrying her lamp.

When she returned to England Florence was famous. She set up her own hospitals and trained nurses.

Florence’s nurses were the first to wear proper uniforms. They kept the hospitals clean and tidy.

Florence never wanted to be famous. Florence died at home on August She was 90 years old.

Florence is remembered in museums worldwide for making hospitals clean and encouraging nurses to care.