Impact of Crimea Wars - Nursing Flashcards
Who was the minister of war who sent volunteer nurses to the Crimea? When were they sent and how many?
- Sidney Herbert
- October 1854, Florence Nightingale along with 38 nurses to the Crimea
What were the problems Nightingale found at the Scutari hospital in the Constantinople?
- At the start of the war, no doctors signed up so there were veterans given hospital orders, soldiers were treating soldiers
- Hardly any clean water or toilet arrangements, as it was previously a barracks for the Turks not a hospital
- Medical supplies were of low priority, Raglan had prioritised troop transports over any other supplies getting into the Crimea
What did Nightingale and her team do once in Scutari?
- Organised kitchen and provided food for the patients
- Washed bed linen and the wards
- Arranged a school room and library
- Sent some men with minor wounds to grow vegetables in the hospital grounds
Why was Nightingale labelled the ‘lady with the lamp’?
- She worked long hours and after everyone fell asleep she would do rounds with a lamp
- This was balanced by her being a tough administrator and manager who strived to get things done
How did Nightingale face sexist men in Scutari Hospital?
- Dr Menzies, senior medical officer, and Dr John Hall had tried to get them sent back to England due to her forthright opinions causing disagreement
- Army doctors felt alienated by her dominant approach, perhaps because of her entering a masculine field
How did senior nurse Mary Clayton describe her experience at Scutari?
- She was criticised heavily by Nightingale
- She said she found it a horrible place where no one trusted or spoke good of each other
- People abused people behind their backs
Who organised a fund for Nightingale and how much money was this?
The times managed to raise £30,000 to buy medical supplies
What are examples of Nightingale being considered a hero back in Britain?
- She was subject of popular songs and Staffordshire pottery
- She was made a waxwork tableau in Madame Tussauds in London
Who introduced the Sanitary Commission and when?
- Palmerston introduced it in March 1855
- A clean up of Scutari, including clearing rubbish, walls being whitewashed and dead animals being removed
- Nightingale welcomed the commission and worked hard to help improve supply of medicine and basic aids
What did Nightingale believe illness was caused by?
- Miasma, ‘bad air’
- This was the general consensus before people understood germs were actually the cause
Who was Alexis Soyer?
- A chef from London who came to improve patients food with recipes for nourishing stews and soups made with rations
- Florence Nightingale was very happy and welcomed him
What are some examples of people thinking Nightingale’s work was not significant?
- Her friend Charles Bracebridge had attacked the Crimean military medical department (though not true)
- Some thought her work was not as significant as the Sanitary Commission
- Army doctors did not like her, ironically Nightingale was also sexist and did not like independent minded women, e.g Elizabeth Davis who went to Balaclava on her own orders
Who wrote a report at the War Office commending Nightingale and who backed this up?
- Colonel Lefroy backed Nightingale in a report to Panmure at the War Office
- The new army commander in chief William Codrington confirmed her role as the superintendent of the ‘Female Nursing Establishment
What % of patients died in Feb 1855 Scutari?
52%
- Suggests Nightingale was not that effective
- However a lot of soldiers were moved to the hospitals too late and were beyond help
What was the environment like in the Scutari hospital?
Distrust, lots of nurses accused of theft, drunkenness and immorality
