A Picture Book of Florence Nightingale

Book excerpt: The founder of modern nursing comes to life in this accessible biography for young readers. Born and raised in a wealthy family, no one expected Florence Nightingale to grow up to do dirty work. But she found her life's calling after witnessing firsthand the atrocious conditions at hospitals in the mid 1800s. Where everyone else saw unavoidable chaos, Florence saw opportunity for order. She developed strict standards of hygiene and established extensive nurse training. Her new systems significantly lowered death rates and revolutionized the healthcare landscape of her time. When she was thirty-eight years old, Florence contracted Crimean fever and remained homebound for the rest of her life. She continued to fight for nursing reform and sanitary conditions, working from her bed as she met distinguished guests and published papers. This informative entry in Adler's well-known series contains biography, facts, and history accompanied by charming illustrations.