In the history of the medical profession many people have played huge roles in its advancement. Physicians such as Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who completed the first successful heart transplant, Dr. William Osler, who is considered the father of modern medicine and Dr. Jonas Salk, who found the vaccine for polio, and among the most noted professionals in the medical field. However, these famed Physicians are not the only important figures in the medical field. The advancements in medicine and patient care have advanced significantly because of another important group.
For many years, nurses have played an important role in medicine. In times of peace and war they have cared for the sick, wounded and infirmed. The accomplishments of these nurses have gone a long way in creating the professional medical field that we currently enjoy. The work of Clara Barton who founded the Red Cross to help people in time of need, Florence Nightingale who was one of the first women to serve the wounded in time of war and Dorothea Dix who tended to the injured during the Civil War are just a few of the most famous nurses in history.
We have searched our library for information on just a few of the more famous nurses. However, we applaud the efforts of all nurses in the medical field and thank you for your work. We hope the following information will provide background information to learn more about these professionals. Please feel free to visit us often to learn more about the nursing profession.
Article Contents
Clara Barton
- Who is Clara Barton? Information on the founder of the American Red Cross with a look at her nursing career.
- The Life of Clara Barton Informative page which provides a look at the work of the famous nurse.
- Clara Barton Biography Biographical article and information about the life of Clara Barton and her work in the field of nursing.
Mary Seacole
- Seacole Information – BBC page which provides information and activities surrounding the work of Mary Seacole.
- Mary Seacole Useful web page which details the work of the famed nurse.
- Adventures of Mrs. Seacole Digital book which chronicles the adventures in far off lands of Mary Seacole.
Florence Nightingale
- Florence Nightingale Biography Informative web page which provides a biographical look at the English nurse.
- Florence Nightingale Museum The Museum holds a unique collection of artefacts and is the only place where you can learn her full remarkable story.
- Tribute Page – Information and biographical look at the career of Nightingale in the form of a well written tribute page.
Dorothea Dix
- Dorothea Dix Biographical information focused on the famous nurse who served during the Civil War.
- Dix Biography Useful web page which outlines the life and nursing career of Dorothea Dix.
- Dix Information Page which details the work that Dorothea Dix on behalf of the mentally ill and the work that she did during the Civil War.
Helen Fairchild
- Army Nurse Information on the work in the military of Helen Fairchild.
- Nurse Helen Fairchild Informative page which provides information on Fairchild and on some letters that were sent to relatives during the war.
- Helen Fairchild Helpful article which provides background on her work during World War I.
Mary Todd Lincoln
- Mary Todd Lincoln Biography Useful page which lists some of the accomplishments during the life of Lincoln.
- Lincoln Biography Biographical sketch of the First Lady and wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
- Mary Todd Lincoln Helpful page which provides an overview on the life of one of the famous women during the Civil War.
Mary Eliza Mahoney
- Mahoney Biography Brief overview of the life of the first African American Registered Nurse.
- Mary Eliza Mahoney Informative look at the life of the famous nurse.
- Honoring African American Contributions in Medicine: Nurses – Information on the career of the first African American nurse to become a Registered Nurse in the United States.
Linda Richards
- Richards Overview Helpful page which gives an overview on the life of Linda Richards.
- America’s First Trained Nurse Informative page which provides a biographical look at the nurse who created the first degree program for nurses.
Walt Whitman
- Walt Whitman Information on the medical career of the famed poet and his work during the Civil War as a male nurse.
Florence Guinness Blake
- Blake Information – Profile of one of the pioneers in creating education for nurses.
- American Nursing: An Introduction to the Past Information on the career of Florence Guinness Blake and her induction in the American Nursing Association Hall of Fame.
- Florence G. Blake Helpful page which provides readers with a look at the life of Florence Guinness Blake in the field of nursing.