Florence Nightingale bicentennial: 1820-2020. Her contributions to health care improvement

Abstract

In 2020 we celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of Florence Nightingale and 110 years from her death (1820-1910). This gives us the opportunity to remember her life and her achievements. She is mainly known for her contribution to the foundation of modern nursing in the British Empire and subsequently to the world. Besides her personal engagement in the Crimean War, she organized a professional training for nurses, wrote the first textbook on nursing (“Notes on Nursing”) and took public positions in favor of health care and philanthropic funding. She was a militant for the rights of the women and for social justice. She was a pioneer of medical statistics and hospital management. Her activity is acknowledged worldwide.