Statistics and Evidence-Based Healthcare

Nightingale and Hospital Reform Influences, 1853-1889

No. 195

Nightingale recognised that light, ventilation, colour, space, diet and cleanliness impacted on the mental and physical recovery of patients and used this to inform her hospital reform campaigns.

Inspired by a visit to Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris, where she was greatly impressed by their use of windows for light and ventilation, she incorporated this into her advisory work on hospital architecture and contributed to sites including Montreal General Hospital in Canada, Lisbon Children’s Hospital in Portugal, Swansea General Hospital in Wales and John Hopkins University Hospital in the United States.

Building plan of Swansea hospital, 1893. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0

Front view of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0

Montreal General Hospital, as it was in Osler’s time. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0

Exhibits from ‘Statistician & Evidence Based Healthcare’

Discover the 200 Exhibits

Nightingale is respected worldwide for her pioneering role in developing the nursing profession, her statistical work, and her evidence-based approach to healthcare. In honour of her bicentenary the World Health Organisation have named 2020 the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

In our special exhibition, you will find out about objects, people and places which tell interesting stories about Florence’s life and legacy. You’ll discover artefacts from her life, people she both inspired and challenged, and places she helped to shape. There’s many more insights too!

Please click on the different sections of her famous coxcomb diagram to explore various aspects of her life and legacy. We hope you enjoy exploring!