Running Head: THE LADY WITH THE LAMP A Modern-Day Analysis of The “Lady with the Lamp:” Florence Nightingale’s Contributions to the Development of Nursing Bailey A. Reidy [email protected] Major in Sociology College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Thesis Advisor: Dr. Constance L. Shehan Department: Sociology CLAS Honors University of Florida THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 2 Abstract In Florence Nightingale’s book Notes on Nursing: What it is and What it is Not (1859, 2018), her opinions and proposals regarding the nursing profession are discussed from a unique historical yet pertinent perspective. The point of my paper is to bring to light the practices Florence Nightingale speaks about in her book and discover their true relevance in today’s society. Many believe that nursing became a true profession when Nightingale deviated from social norms and expressed the importance for the profession. In the 1800’s Nursing was believed to be a career for uneducated lower-class women whereas today those who pursue this career must complete a rigorous educational program. However, even today, nursing continues to be a primarily female dominated field globally. In this analysis I will discuss the relevance of Florence Nightingale’s key influences on contemporary nursing. I will review recent research that supports her principles of nursing. I will also discuss societal influences on nursing as a profession. THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................... 4 LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................... 5 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 6 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................. 7 3 METHODS ......................................................................................... 19 4 CONCLUSION .................................................................................. 21 5 REFERENCES .................................................................................. 23 THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First off, I would like to thank all of the individuals who have assisted me in reaching my academic goals and success at the University of Florida. Thank you to my parents for supporting me physically and morally throughout this academic journey while always providing me with constant encouragement. Furthermore, I would like to thank my supervisor and mentor, Dr. Constance Shehan, for her unwavering support. Amid these incredibly trying times, Dr. Shehan never failed to provide me with the utmost reassurance and provision throughout the entirety of this research process. Without her relentless guidance and comprehensive wisdom, this would not have been possible. THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Causes of Mortality During the Crimean War. ………………………………….10 2 The Importance of Cleanliness of Rooms, Walls, and Floors. ………………….12 THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 6 Introduction The year was 1854 when the “Lady with the Lamp” came to fame. This name was given to Florence Nightingale for her endless efforts to reform the hospital systems during the Crimean War. Florence Nightingale, a British woman, born to William Nightingale and Frances Nightingale was advisor to the Queen of England. She expressed her concerns and ideas for reform of the current healthcare system that was in place at the time of the Crimean War. As a woman during times of discrimination Florence was neither supported by her family nor most individuals with whom she crossed paths. However, she was supported by Queen Victoria who trusted her in sending her to the British Army’s Barracks Hospital in Scutari. Here Nightingale was sent to assist the wounded soldiers with a group of other female nurses. Florence Nightingale grew up in the Victorian Era which was primarily characterized as a patriarchic system. During this time in the Victorian Era men and women were not viewed as equals and both men and women were designated specific roles and duties. Men were expected to be working heads of households while possessing qualities such as strength and high levels of educational attainment. Women were deemed to be caretakers, and the extent of their abilities to be working professionals was becoming a teacher. At this time women could not own property and they could not vote while men could do both. The gender roles during this time were very strict and individuals were looked down upon by society if they deviated from the typical gender norms. However, clearly the gender norms did not discourage Florence Nightingale from pursuing her passions in life. I believe that Florence Nightingale would be considered to be a modern-day feminist if she were still alive today. I found it incredibly unique in her writing, that in the mid 1800’s, Florence recognized that nursing and caretaking were primarily womanly duties. However, Nightingale did not only speak to women, rather she spoke to a broad and THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 7 generalized audience as she believed that these rules were so imperative that everyone must know them. I believe that if Nightingale had been given more support by her family as well as her community and the doctors she was working alongside she may have been more successful in her attempts to assist wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. However, I also believe that there were many reasons behind why there were so many fatalities during this time in the hospital. Many of which were unavoidable and could not have been fixed by Florence Nightingale. Literature Review Nursing is a profession in which trained professionals provide care for sick or injured individuals. Nurses also play key roles in hospitals or health care facilities promoting proper health as well as the prevention of illness. According to the International Council of Nurses “The nurse is a person who has completed a program of basic, generalized nursing education and is authorized by the appropriate regulatory authority to practice nursing in his/her country” (ICN, 1987). Therefore, nurses endure a rigorous curriculum before being licensed to work in hospitals or health care facilities. Nursing is an integral part of the health care system and brings in the humanistic approach that is needed to deliver proper care to patients. Florence Nightingale, in her book “Notes on Nursing,” highlights thirteen different lessons which are essential when delivering proper patient care. The key ideas in her book were organized around proper ventilation, the importance of temperature in rooms, cleanliness, nutrition for patients, and how to manage your schedule as a nurse. These are teachings which are still widely accepted and used today in nursing schools all around the world. These notes are THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 8 imperative to consider and follow while taking care of patients as their health depends on these practices of proper nursing. Proper ventilation. Rooms must have an open window or a system in place in which the air is kept as pure as possible. Air cannot be pure if there is no way to release the dirty air from sick patients and a sick patient can never recover in a room without pure air. Nightingale constantly mentions the word “effluvia” which refers to impurities which fill the air and can be detrimental to patient’s health. She urges caretakers to realize the importance of proper ventilation in rooms while calling attention to common misconceptions regarding ventilation. Recent studies have shown that the air inside of any healthcare facility must be pure as it maintains a clean and healthy environment. However, if the indoor air is contaminated with certain pollutants it can be detrimental to patient’s health and well-being resulting in worsened conditions (Lampi et al., 2020). Nightingale explains that solely keeping a room’s temperature cold does not mean that there is sufficient ventilation or that the air is pure. In the scenario of infectious diseases in hospitals it is incredibly easy for the air to be contaminated which, in turn, can infect patients, healthcare workers, and hospital visitors. Therefore “an effective ventilation system is crucial to protect doctors, nurses and other health-care workers from patients with infectious disease” (Cheong & Phua, 2006). This is supported by the necessity to design a proper ventilation strategy in hospitals that does not allow harmful air pollutants to circulate and infect others. In relation to ventilation, Florence Nightingale teaches caretakers about her five points for maintaining good health in houses in her second chapter of the book (Nightingale, 2018 p. 24). These five points include pure air, pure water, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light. Pure air goes hand in hand with proper ventilation as the primary way to access pure air is by having THE LADY WITH THE LAMP 9 proper ventilation. Pure water is essential as dirty water may contain toxins which will harm patients. Patients must have access to clean water as they must be bathed in clean water and must be able to drink water free from toxins or other pollutants. These both attribute to a patient’s urgency to be well hydrated as well as exercising proper hygiene. Nightingale’s basic theory with regard to sunlight is advanced