Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer [Hardcover]

Barbara Dossey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0874349842 | ISBN-13: 978-0874349849 | Edition: 2

Readers are informed and exhilarated by the story of Florence Nightingale, a brilliant pioneer who played a major role in making nursing the respected profession it is today. This sumptuously illustrated biography of nursing’s inspiring founder focuses on Nightingale’s mystic beliefs, her contributions to public health and infection control, and her trailblazing work in government and health care reform. Readers discover Nightingale’s life as a mystic and her many health care theories and practices that are still in use today. Brimming with more than 280 beautiful photographs and hundreds of little-known facts that shed light on the events that shaped Nightingale’s life and work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is fascinating to read and lovely to look at and would make an exceptional addition to a nursing or personal library. This is a one-of-a-kind, artistic history of the life of a nursing icon." - Ellen Wurzbach, RN, MSN, PhD for Doody Review Service" --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2 edition (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874349842
• ISBN-13: 978-0874349849
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,215,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding biography, July 27, 2002

By 

Pat McKnight (Tucson, Az) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer (Hardcover)

This is unquestionably the best biography of Nightingale ever written. The author reminds us that Nightingale was one of the first statisticians -- one of the first members of the statistical society in the U.K. and for many years the only woman member. Nightingale collected and published voluminous statistics about health care (she proved that the rate of childbirth fever was lower among women cared for by midwives vs those cared for by physicians and surmised correctly that the difference was that the midwives washed their hands and established hygiene in the birth chamber. The physicians came to the birth room covered with blood from dissections.) The germ theory of disease had not been developed -- but she was able to reduce the death rate in the hospitals in Crimea by ensuring cleanliness, safe water and good food for the patients.) She was also a suffragist and one of the first signers of a petition in support of suffrage put forward by her
friends, the philosopher John Stuart Mill and his wife Harriet Taylor, who were prominent proponents of women's suffrage. Mill asked Nightingale to dedicate herself to the cause of female suffrage and she replied that there were others as qualified as she; she was needed to reform the British military, hospital and medical systems. Nightingale shook up the British military, hospital and medical establishments. She had many enemies because of her work -- and they became even more virulent when she was proved right. Unfortunately their calumnies persist to this day. While doing the work which first brought her to public attention she contracted Crimean Fever -- a common complaint of those who served in the Crimea War. Dossey points out that recent research indicates that Crimean Fever was probably brucellosis which was and is epidemic and endemic in the Crimea. (It occurs now, too, in the U.S. among persons who work with infected cattle.) Nightingale was a very devout Christian. At 17 she sought a direction for her life. She came to feel that she was called to serve the sick and took a vow of chastity when she was 17. Barbara Dossey is an R.N. with a Master's degree in nursing. She has written texts on intensive care nursing and on wholistic health. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing -- which signfies the high respect of her research peers for her work. This is the finest contribution she has made and that says a lot.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer, December 14, 1999

By 

Louise Selanders (East Lansing, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer (Hardcover)

The life and accomplishments of Florence Nightingale is an extremely difficult subject to examine. This complex and multi-facted women had an amazing intellect driven by her profound spirituality and and need to improve the well-being of mankind. Barbara Dossey is to be commended for her excellent biography which goes well beyond the usual recounting of dates and events. This volume is beautifully illustrated and analyzes many of the persistent issues which have surrounded Nighitngale including her extended illness. There is a well-developed analysis of Nightingale's motivators and motivations. This volume should be of interest to the general reading public as well as nurses.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer, December 15, 1999

By 

H. Lea Gaydos, Ph.D., R.N. ,HNC (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer (Hardcover)

This beautiful book is the most comprehensive and creative examintation I have ever read of the life of this remarkable woman. The book is profusely illustrated. Many of the images are in full color and have not been previously printed. Words and images combine to produce insights of incredible depth and beauty. The author's straightforward and readable writing style reminds readers of Nightingale's own writings. Clearly, Dossey has a connection with the fascinating Miss Nightingale that spans the boundaries of time and space. This is lucky for us, the readers of this sesntive portrait of one of the most amazing women in history. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in feminist history, healing, the path of the mystic, leadership, or the history of nursing. It will surely become a classic in its genre!