ICN Salutes 150th Anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s Work in the Crimea

Geneva, 9 November 2004  - On the 150th anniversary of the start of Florence Nightingale’s work in the Crimea, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and its sister organisation, the Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF), pay tribute to her invaluable contributions to nursing.

“Florence Nightingale continues to teach us.  We need to follow her example and call to the public’s attention the critical need for nurses to assure adequate health care for all,“ stated ICN and FNIF President, Christine Hancock.

Starting in November 1854, upon her arrival in a barracks hospital in Scutari, and continuing throughout her long lifetime, Florence Nightingale’s vision completely changed society's approach to nursing.  She understood the valuable contribution nurses could make.  She was committed to personalised care and saw that sensitivity to patient needs was key to recovery.  Her farsighted reforms have influenced the nature of modern health care and helped transform nursing into the respectable profession we know today.

Nightingale’s strong values influenced her work throughout her life.  She saw nursing as helping people to live to their potential, and promoted the importance of the nurse's integrity.  She fought for health care for people regardless of faith or economic background.  She served as an effective advocate on a number of important health issues, particularly for trained nursing and preventive health care through proper hygiene.  Nightingale published over 200 books, reports and pamphlets and her writings remain as excellent resources for nurses and health care providers.  

Nightingale believed that nurses should learn through both experience and training.  In 1860, she established the first training school for nurses at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.  In 1932, ICN and the League of Red Cross Societies established a permanent international memorial to Florence Nightingale, in the form of the Florence Nightingale International Foundation.  FNIF continues her legacy by acknowledging professional excellence so as to enable nurses to undertake projects in several areas including advocacy, leadership, new models of patient care and new roles for nurses.   FNIF also undertakes research to advance health issues internationally and increase nursing knowledge.

ICN and FNIF proud to honour her work as well as those of all nurses who, with vision, values and voice, care for all people, leading societies around the world toward better health.

Editor’s Note:

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of 125 national nurses' associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses for nurses since 1899, ICN is the international voice of nursing and works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.

ICN/PR04 #14

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