Becoming a nurse
Florence developed an interest in the social questions of the day, made visits to the homes of the sick in the local villages and began to investigate hospitals and nursing. She began to think she would like to become a nurse.
Her parents refused to allow this; a nurse was not a suitable profession for a well educated lady in Florence’s position. In the mid nineteenth century hospitals were places where only the dying would go, nurses were thought to be often drunk, thieves and would make money from the patients however they could.
While her family continued to conflict over her future, it was decided that Florence should tour Europe with family friends. When returning to England via Germany they visited Pastor Theodor Fliedner's hospital and school for deaconesses at Kaiserswerth, near Dusseldorf.
The following year Florence finally managed to persuade her parents to allow her to return and undertook three months nursing training there. This was followed by her securing a vacancy as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen during illness at No. 1 Harley Street, London in 1853. | 
