FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE – THE MONUMENT OF HUMANITY IN THE CRIMEAN WAR 1853.-1856.
Authors : Milan Spaić
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Manuscript keywords: Florence Nightingale,, Crimean War,
Abstract
Background: Ms. Florence Nightingale (F.N.) has been recognized as the founder of modern
nursing. She had a prominent role in organizing the medical service for the British army in the
Crimean War.
Aim: The goal of the research was to determine the role and contribution of F.N. to the medical
service during the Crimean War, her original organizing arrangements, and novel treatment
modalities in the setting of a mass casualty situation. The impact of her war experience on her
psychological condition has been assessed.
Methodology: The research was done through a review of the historical documents,
considering the work and the role of F.N. in the British Army medical service during the
Crimean War.
Result: The passionate work of F.N. in the field hospital earned her the nickname Angel of
Crimea. She introduced novel methods of nursing and sanitation that reduced the mortality rate
in the British Army by 70%. However, after the war, on her return home in England, she showed mood changes consistent with what is nowadays known as posttraumatic stress disorder.
Conclusion: Engagement in the medical service during the war carries the inevitable risk of the
development of posttraumatic stress disorder. This should be considered a real and obvious threat
for medical personnel involved with the treatment of the injured during the war, i.e., the mass
casualty situation. The contribution of F.N. to the organization and efficacy of the military medical
service of the British Army has been discussed.