Contribution of Seacole & Florence Nightingale in Nursing & Healthcare (Essay Sample)

Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale
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Abstract
Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole are the most remarkable individuals when studying the history of nursing and healthcare in general. They are remembered for having made substantial contributions towards the advancement of the field. Their inputs are studied to date. The review critically analyzes several videos on each person with regards to their historical backgrounds and their motivation to venture in the field of care delivery. Nightingale is an individual who was brought up in a royal family. Her interest in nursing was highly criticized by even her mother and siblings. Mary Seacole on the other hand was born of mixed race family with Scottish ancestry. Her background played a critical role towards forming her perception and the desire to become a care giver. Her journey from her home country to the military barracks is described in detail. The movie review critically discusses the two individuals to totality. Despite their constant rivalry, Seacole and Nightingale are honored due to their critical contributions in nursing.
Keywords: Pioneers, Crimean war, Tropical diseases, Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale
Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole are arguably the pioneers of healthcare. They played a fundamental role during the Crimean war in Britain. Notably, the British soldiers were usually attacked by tropical diseases such as cholera and dementia which prompted both Nightingale and Seacole to offer their services to the troops. Notably, it is crucial to note that the former always perceived the latter as a rival as depicted in the movies. Nightingale was continually conflicting with Seacole due to her struggle for supremacy (Brown, 2013). Apart from that, it is evident that their approaches to care delivery were entirely different which could have also led to the antagonism. Markedly, Nightingale and Seacole interacted with the sick or wounded soldiers on a daily basis, but their perception of their roles were different. As evidenced in the movie, it is during Nightingale’s era that most of the soldiers died.
Seacole believed that delivery could be achieved through other ways other than the conventional methods of administering medicines to the patients. She engaged the soldiers in other forums especially in her restaurant which also served as a hospital. In fact, she sold alcohol at the hotel which gave her more time to interact with the troops on matters related to the war and families. Her main aim was to make the environment as conducive and comfortable as she could for the soldiers. Apart from that, Seacole used traditional herbs that were readily available to create concoctions that could treat a wide range of illnesses (Thehistorydoctor, 2012). Nightingale, on the other hand, relied heavily on medical supplies from the mother country which were quite unreliable (Brown, 2013). In fact, a delay in the supply of medicines was the main reason why soldiers died while undergoing treatment from Nightingale.
Markedly, it is evident that Nightingale’s and Seacole’s backgrounds played a significant role in influencing their perception of the chosen concept towards healthcare. The latter was born of a royal family that did not even want her to pursue nursing as she could demean her status and that of the entire royal house. In fact, her mother could not fathom her daughter becoming a nurse a career that could see her interact and mingle with low-status men. Her sister on the other hand almost broke down trying to convince her against the profession. It was difficult for Nightingale to socialize comfortably with the soldiers which significantly affected her care delivery due to her upbringing.