NATIONAL FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE AWARDS 2024

Source: PIB

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Context

The President of India presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2024 to the nursing professionals at a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

National Florence Nightingale Award

• It was established in 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• The Award aims to recognize and reward outstanding nursing personnel for their exceptional contributions to society.
• Eligibility:
  • • Nurses employed in Central, State/UT governments, and Voluntary Organizations.
    • Eligible candidates must be working in hospitals, community settings, or in educational/administrative roles.
• Award Components:
  • • Certificate of Merit.
    • Cash Awardof Rs.1,00,000/-.
    • Medal.

Florence Nightingale

• Florence Nightingale was an English social reformer and the founder of modern nursing.
• Her groundbreaking work during the Crimean Wartransformed nursing from an untrained profession to a respected medical field.
• She drastically improved sanitary conditions in military hospitals, reducing mortality rates significantly.
• Post-war, she established the Nightingale School of Nursingin 1860.
• Known as "The Lady with the Lamp" for her nightly rounds of care in war hospitals.
• International Nurses Dayis celebrated on her birthday (12 May).

Crimean War (1853-1856)

The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia.

Causes

• The conflict arose from disputes over the rights of Christian minorities in the Ottoman-controlled Holy Land.
• Russia's desire to expand its influence over the weakening Ottoman Empire was also a major factor.
• The immediate cause was Russia’s invasion of Ottoman territories, leading to declarations of war by Britain and France.

Key Events

• Siege of Sevastopol (1854-1855): Allied forces captured the Russian port city after months of intense fighting.
• Battle of Balaclava: Notable for the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, a failed cavalry charge by British forces.
• The war was characterized by poor logistics, inadequate medical care, and harsh conditions for soldiers on both sides.

Outcome

• The Treaty of Paris(1856) ended the war, limiting Russian expansion in the region.
• The Crimean War is often viewed as a precursor to modern warfare due to the use of telegraphs, railways, and the first war correspondence by journalists.

Sources:PIB 

PRACTICE QUESTION Q:Analyze the factors that led to the Crimean War of 1853-56. What made this conflict significant? Explain. (250 Words)