Florence Nightingale Biography for Kids Bedtime Stories Stories for Kids Kids Stories

Hi, my name is Maya. What's yours? Great name. I wonder how your parents came up with your name. A long time ago, back in the 1800s, Mr. and Mrs. Nightingale named their two daughters after the places where they were born. Their youngest daughter was born in Florence, Italy. That is where she received the name Florence Nightingale. Later, she was nicknamed the Lady with the Lamp. Want to find out why? Super! Let's get started. This story starts out with Once Upon a Time, but it is not a fairy tale. The story of Florence Nightingale is true, as she was an inspirational heroine who was real and admired by many. Once upon a time, in 1820, Florence Nightingale was born. That is a really long time ago, and things were different in the world back then. Women were not treated the same as men, and hospitals were dirty and unsafe. When she was 16, Florence believed God called her into his service. She wanted to be a nurse. However, her wealthy parents did not think highly of nurses and forbid her to become one. The Nightingales, like so many others during that time, thought of nurses as the lowest form of hired help. Have your parents ever said no to something you really wanted to do? How did that make you feel? Not being able to pursue her dream and God's calling made Florence feel very sad. She wrote a letter to her cousin. I shall never do anything and am worse than dust and nothing. By the time she was 25, Florence felt trapped. She was not permitted to leave her parents' huge estate in England without their permission. Eventually, her parents allowed her to travel with some friends of the family. Florence traveled to Italy, Egypt, and Greece. While in Egypt, she heard a second call from God. God called me in the morning, Florence wrote in her diary, and asked me would I do good for him, for him alone, without the reputation. She felt God was asking her to give up fame in exchange for service. Of course she would, if only her parents would agree. On her 30th birthday, she dedicated her life to doing God's will. Without gaining permission from her family, the friends she was traveling with helped her attend training at the Kaiser Wirth Institute of Deaconesses in Germany. Returning home, Florence faced an angry family. Even her sister was angry with her. Eventually, however, they allowed her to return to Germany, where she studied for three months to be a nurse. Unlike the rest of society, Florence felt nursing was not something to be looked down upon. She was proud to be a nurse, but her family still saw it as something to be ashamed about. Finally, at the urging of her friends, her father agreed to let her follow her dream. When Florence was 35, she managed the Hospital for Invalid Gentlewomen. She watched as patients died simply because the people caring for them did not wash their hands. Saddened by the conditions there, she worked to make the hospital a clean and sanitary place, with safe and healthy food for the patients. The next year, Florence became the superintendent of nursing at King's College Hospital in London. That meant she was in charge of the nursing program. Her dream was to open a nursing school in London, like the one she attended in Germany. Florence wanted to train other nurses and make them feel good about what they were doing. She did not want other people to feel ashamed of their jobs. However, a war broke out and postponed her plans. The newspaper in England reported terrible conditions for injured and sick soldiers in the hospitals in Crimea. They did not have medicines, food, or supplies. Florence was asked to take a group of nurses there to help. She accepted the challenge and took 38 nurses with her. When they got off the boat in Crimea, there were many people cheering. They admired these brave women. Do you like to follow the activities and stories about a celebrity? Florence Nightingale was a celebrity. The newspaper wrote about her every day. This helped to bring in lots of money and goods to help the soldiers in the hospital. Unfortunately, the doctors still looked down on nurses. They resented Florence, but the patients loved her. She valued and respected them and worked hard to improve the conditions in the hospital so they would be comfortable. Florence set up reading rooms for the soldiers. She also planned recreation programs. No one else had treated them with such kindness because, like nurses, soldiers were thought of as lower class and not important. At night, Florence would attend to the sick and injured soldiers, carrying a lamp from bed to bed to check on them. They started calling her the Lady with the Lamp, comforted by its soft glow and Florence's loving care. When Florence returned home after the war, she looked tired and worn. She wanted time alone, but her parents, who were now proud of her status as a national heroine, wanted to show her off. There were parties, parades, and other social gatherings. Florence did not like the attention and did not want to attend celebrations. Her mind was fixed on the suffering and dying men she had seen. She preferred spending time in her own room writing. Slowly, Florence Nightingale's ideas about nursing, as well as hospital conditions, were put into practice. People from all over the world asked for her advice. During the American Civil War, Florence helped both sides by sending advice and reports. As a result, the American medical services for the soldiers were greatly improved. In her later years, Florence Nightingale lived a private life, preferring time spent alone in her bedroom. While she did have an occasional visitor, she spent most of her days writing reports on nursing and medical care. The life's work of Florence Nightingale changed people's attitudes toward both nurses and soldiers. They became valued citizens who were respected and admired. At 87 years old, Florence was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit. She lived to be 90 and is still remembered as one of the most influential women in history. Regarding her accomplishments, Florence said, I attribute my success to this. I never gave or took any excuse. The next time you find yourself looking for an excuse, think of this quote from Ms. Nightingale and remember how her courage and devotion to her dream changed the world.