1. Florence Nightingale was born in Italy
Florence Nightingale came from Italy. She was born on 12th May 1820 in Florence, a town in Italy. In the course of the Crimean War, together with a team of nurses, she enhanced the unhygienic situation of a British base hospital thereby minimizing the death tally by two thirds. Her works prompted global health care improvement and in the year 1860 she started St. Thomas’ Hospital and the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. Florence Nightingale passed on while staying in London on 13th August 1910.

2. Florence Nightingale as a Philanthropist
Florence Nightingale started to show her philanthropic character while she was still very young. She started to preach to the poor and the ill in the settlements that neighbored her family’s vast estate. Though her parents were against her decision, at the age of 16, it became evident that her heavenly purpose was to become a nurse.

3. Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War
The Crimean War took place in October 1853. The Britons were at war with the Russians for the rulership of the Ottoman Empire. British soldiers were sent out in thousands to the Black Sea which saw their supplies reduce. By the year 1854, approximately 18,000 soldiers were admitted in the military facilities. The Secretary of War Sidney Herbert sent a letter to Nightingale asking her to coordinate a team of nurses who would care for the fallen and sick soldiers in the Crimea. Nightingale coordinated a team of about 34 nurses from different religions and cruised with them to the Crimea.

4. Florence Nightingale’s Leadership
The field facility in Scutari was in the worst state before Nightingale arrived. The floor was littered with feces, rats ran through the halls and clean clothes and linens lacked completely. In February of 1855, a disturbing 42.7% of the patients succumbed to death. However, Nightingale with her team of nurses were able to implement hygiene conditions at the facility which saw the number reduce to about 2% by June of that year.

5. Comforted the Bereaved
Many a times, Nightingale took the responsibility to be a bearer of bad news and a comforter to the families and friends of those whom have lost their loved ones.

6. Florence Nightingale promoted the Pie Chart
Though the first pie chart was officially drawn in 1801, Nightingale is regarded by historians as a loyal supporter and adopter of this statistical tool. In 1858, Nightingale presented a well-documented report using the pie chart about the issues affecting the health and efficiency of the administration of the British Army facility.

7. Lady with the Lamp and Legal Influence
Mainly referred by the soldiers as the Lady with the Lamp, Nightingale used her inspiration to bring substantial legislation back at home. After the war was over, the years 1871 to 1875 saw Nightingale effectively push for lawgiving that would require all the existing buildings be connected to the main drainage. By enacting the law alone, Britain saw an increase in life expectancy by 20 years.

8. London’s Nightingale School of Nursing
Nightingale was responsible for starting the London’s Nightingale School of Nursing which was founded in 1860. Linda Richards, who was the first American trained nurse was trained by Florence Nightingale. However, Linda Richards later chose to work with the mentally sick as a psychiatrist.

9. A Publisher
Florence Nightingale continued to write both letters and reports on the ways of enhancing the health care system. These letters and reports were adopted by different countries around the globe while on the other hand her nurses got the opportunity to travel to other nations disseminating Florence’s ideas and procedures.

10. Royal Red Cross Award
In 1907, Florence Nightingale received the Royal Red Cross from Queen Victoria and the Order of Merit from King Edward VII. This was the first time that such awards were being bestowed on a woman.