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'The work of Florence Nightingale was the most important development in the care and treatment provided in hospitals in the years c1700–c1900' - Edexcel - GCSE History - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 5
'The work of Florence Nightingale was the most important development in the care and treatment provided in hospitals in the years c1700–c1900'. How far do you agree... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:'The work of Florence Nightingale was the most important development in the care and treatment provided in hospitals in the years c1700–c1900' - Edexcel - GCSE History - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Agreeing with the statement
Answer
Florence Nightingale's contributions significantly transformed hospital care by emphasizing sanitation, patient observation, and the organization of nursing. Her publication, Notes on Nursing (1859), served as a critical foundation for modern nursing practices, advocating for hygienic environments and systematic patient care. This work not only improved healing rates but also ushered in a new understanding of the nursing profession.
Step 2
Importance of anaesthetics
Answer
While Nightingale's work was pivotal, the advent of anaesthetics in the mid-19th century also played a crucial role in hospital treatment advancements. It allowed for more complex surgical procedures with reduced pain, leading to better patient outcomes and fewer complications, thus enhancing the effectiveness of hospital care.
Step 3
Limitations of Nightingale's impact
Answer
However, it is essential to recognize that other medical advancements, such as the introduction of antiseptics by Joseph Lister and the establishment of medical boards to standardize hospital practices, also crucially improved patient care. These developments contributed to a more comprehensive transformation of the hospital system beyond Nightingale's influence.
Step 4
Conclusion
Answer
In conclusion, while Florence Nightingale's work was indeed groundbreaking and significantly important in shifting the paradigm of nursing and hospital care, it was part of a larger context of medical advancements in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, I would agree that she was a vital contributor, but not the sole or most important development during this era.