Florence Nightingale was a leading force in the field of nursing. Florence was an innovative nurse and social reformer, the foundational philosopher of modern nursing. She changed the role of the nurse and was a key figure in introducing new standards of professional training. Florence Nightingale found the courage and strength of character to work and find solutions to the problems plaguing our modern world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Florence Nightingale's impact on her practice continually influences how nurses work today. It created what is our norm but was once considered drastic and unnecessary. Nightingale introduced female nurses into military hospitals, set up kitchens to provide adequate diets for patients, and improved hospital conditions (cleanliness and sanitation). Can you imagine going to the hospital and being treated with dirty supplies, drastically increasing your risk of developing a life-threatening fever? Florence Nightingale solved the problem. “Florence Nightingale's belief met the Red Cross's principle of neutrality. He said: “Suffering elevates its victim above normal values. As long as suffering lasts, there is neither good nor evil, neither good nor evil, neither good nor evil, neither enemy nor friend. The victim has passed into a region beyond human classification or moral judgments and his suffering is denunciation enough.”Florence Nightingale also opened the first nursing school in 1860, the Nightingale School for Nurses. Back then we didn't really think about the conditions in hospitals that we think are obvious or necessary. Nightingale changed that and came up with his environmental theory. There are ten parts to this theory and you will be amazed to realize that things so evident nowadays have been labeled as unheard of. Florence's thesis indicates this; Patients should have clean air and a temperature-controlled environment and should have access to direct sunlight and not be subjected to unnecessary noise, especially during sleep. Rooms should be kept clean, hospital facilities should be well constructed and bedding should be changed and aired frequently. Patients should be kept clean and nurses should wash their hands often and be offered a variety of scenarios, such as new books or flowers, to prevent boredom. Nurses should be positive but not offer patients false hope or underestimate their illness, offer a variety of small meals instead of large meals, and not provide patient care while the patient is eating because this could be distracting. Finally, the final aspect of Florence's theory is to consider not only the individual patient but the context in which he lives. Nightingale believed that the environment had a huge effect on patient outcomes, her beliefs ultimately created her thesis. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Nightingale has received some of the highest awards a nurse can achieve and as if that wasn't something to brag about, the most prestigious nursing award is named after her Florence Nightingale Medal). Some of these awards include the Royal Red Cross and the Grace of the Order of St John, Order of Merit. Queen Victoria awarded Florence Nightingale the Royal Red Cross in 1883 for her "special efforts in providing relief.