Nursing is a profession where you get a chance to impact the lives of people you come in contact with. As you get enrolled in any of the nursing programs in UK, New Zealand, Canada, Australia or USA, you will hear the names of countless famous and influential nurses known for their contribution and outstanding work in the medical field. But, if you are looking for inspiration in your own career, or just want to further your education, here are some amazing nurses who worked hard to change the face of health care around the world.
- Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910) – “The Lady with the Lamp” is the quintessential nurse figure. Nightingale is known for her efforts to reform the British military health system. Using her mathematical competency, Nightingale collected data and made calculations on mortality rate change as sanitary methods were incorporated in the medical facilities, and soon pressed in all British military hospitals. The statistical data she used, the coxcombs as called by her, is now known as Polar Area Diagram.
- Clara Barton (1821 – 1912) – “Founder of American Red Cross” Clarissa Harlowe Barton is one of the most famous women in American history. She began her nursing career at the age of 11, caring for her brother after he fell while working on a barn. Inspired by this experience, Barton went on to tend to the wounded on some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War.
- Mary Breckinridge (1881 – 1965) – Founder of the Frontier Nursing Service, Breckinridge is best known for the work she did in founding family care centers in the Appalachian Mountains. After the traumatic loss of two children and a painful divorce, she traveled to Europe to help families in the aftermath of World War I. Facilities developed by her helped many women and families in rural areas to get the medical care they needed.
These famous nurses are an inspiration for all those looking to excel in the field of nursing!
