Select at least one piece of the Nightingale legacy that was new to you and tell us how this changed your understanding of this great woman and her contributions to nursing. 

One piece of Florence Nightingale’s legacy that was new to me was her advocacy for sanitation reform. Before learning about this, I associated Nightingale primarily with the concept of nursing itself rather than any specific reforms she may have advocated for. However, upon further research I discovered that Nightingale fought hard to improve sanitary conditions in hospitals which had a direct impact on patient care and health outcomes. This shifted my understanding of Nightingale as it revealed her commitment to improving the overall quality of medical care and not just providing individualized attention to patients. This showed me how Florence’s work went beyond the scope of simply being a nurse and extended into public policy – an aspect of her life that is often overlooked or forgotten when discussing her legacy. Thus, learning more about this part of Nightingale’s life has allowed me to gain greater insight into why she is held in such high regard today and understand why many consider her “the founder of modern nursing.”