First published in 1859, “Notes on Nursing” was
written by nursing innovator Florence Nightingale, who served in
war-torn Crimea and worked to greatly improve hospital conditions there.
Though relatively short, this work is entirely comprised of nursing
hints designed to aid individuals entrusted with the health care of
others. The advice Nightingale wrote of included such practicalities as
improving the conditions of ventilation, heating, noise, light, bedding,
and cleanliness of the patient’s environment, as well as a
nurse’s personal cleanliness and methods of observation. This
work also addresses the treatment of the individuals being nursed, from
the food they consume to the things they should or should not be told.
Though the author herself stressed the fledgling nature of her guide,
Nightingale’s effort to systematize the care of the infirmed has
since earned her recognition as one of the world’s founders of
modern nursing.