Nightingale, Florence

1. An English nurse of the nineteenth century, known for establishing a battlefield hospital for British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War . Her tireless service, at night as well as during the day, gained her the nickname “Lady with the Lamp.”

Notes

Florence Nightingale's diligence made her a symbol (see also symbol ) for all nursing and for any kind of dedicated service.

Example Sentences

Parsons, who preceded Hopper, was Florence Nightingale compared to her eventual rival.

From The Daily Beast

Then she went away, and began to read a paper about sick people written by Florence Nightingale.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Strachey, without abandoning the acridity of his style, exposes Florence Nightingale as a great constructor of civilization.

From Project Gutenberg

How did the English army fare till Florence Nightingale came by and knocked their granary doors open?

From Project Gutenberg

"I am emulating Florence Nightingale," she returned lightly.

From Project Gutenberg

Even Florence Nightingale's maimed dolls were tenderly nursed and bandaged.

From Project Gutenberg

About This Word

Who was Florence Nightingale?

Florence Nightingale was an English nurse who gained fame during the Crimean War for her efforts to train nurses and improve sanitary conditions in healthcare settings. Although there is no record of the real Nightingale ever falling in love while on the job, there is a popular syndrome, the Florence Nightingale effect, that borrows her name because of her compassion and tenderness for her patients.

What is the Florence Nightingale effect?

The Florence Nightingale Effect explains why caregivers sometimes develop romantic and/or sexual feelings for their patients. Also known as Nightingale Syndrome, it is sometimes used to explain why caregivers show empathy and compassion for patients, even if there aren’t any romantic or sexual overtones.

Although the exact origins of the phrase are unknown, many credit the movie Back to the Future, which was released in 1985. In the film, Lorraine Baines (played by Lea Thompson) develops a crush on a strange boy who she cares for after he falls from a tree in front of her house. The boy turns out to be George McFly, who Lorraine later marries. Dr. Emmett Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd) tells Lorraine and George’s son, Marty McFly, that his mom’s crush on the boy is the Florence Nightingale Effect at work. The phrase has since popped up in a variety of pop culture arenas and medical settings.

The Florence Nightingale Effect is often misinterpreted, with people assuming it means that a patient falls in love with their caregiver. Depending on the caregiver in question, this phenomena can be called transference, although typically this word is only used when a patient develops feelings for a mental-health professional.

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.