The Nightingale Legacy

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife to mark the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. This celebration honors her work and impact on the nursing profession—one of engagement and advocacy for public health. Nightingale's Notes on Nursing (1860) illustrated her observations of social determinants for health wellness and illness. She championed efforts for community access to clean water and public sanitization and emphasized the importance of nutrition and hygiene on healing and wellness. Her calls for action still resonate with enduring worldwide healthcare shortcomings, which contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality.