44+ Best Florence Nightingale Quotes: Exclusive Selection

Florence Nightingale, OM, RRC, DStJ was an English social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. Profoundly inspirational Florence Nightingale quotes will make you look at life differently and help you live a meaningful life.

Famous Florence Nightingale Quotes

To understand God’s thoughts we must study statistics, for these are the measure of his purpose. Florence Nightingale

I attribute my success to this I never gave or took an excuse. Florence Nightingale

There is no part of my life, upon which I can look back without pain. Florence Nightingale

I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel. Florence Nightingale

Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore. Florence Nightingale

If I could give you information of my life it would be to show how a woman of very ordinary ability has been led by God in strange and unaccustomed paths to do in His service what He has done in her. And if I could tell you all, you would see how God has done all, and I nothing. I have worked hard, very hard, that is all; and I have never refused God anything. Florence Nightingale

I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results. Florence Nightingale

Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore. Florence Nightingale

She said the object and color in the materials around us actually have a physical effect on us, on how we feel. Florence Nightingale

You ask me why I do not write something I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results. Florence Nightingale

Were there none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better. Florence Nightingale

The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm. Florence Nightingale

I attribute my success to this I never gave or took any excuse. Florence Nightingale

Live life when you have it. Life is a splendid gift there is nothing small about it. Florence Nightingale

Everything is sketchy. The world does nothing but sketch. Florence Nightingale

Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but how can I provide for this right thing to be always done? Florence Nightingale

So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard seed germinates and roots itself. Florence Nightingale

Women never have a half hour in all their lives excepting before or after anybody is up in the house that they can call their own, without fear of offending or of hurting someone. Why do people sit up so late, or, more rarely, get up so early? Not because the day is not long enough, but because they have no time in the day to themselves. 1852. Florence Nightingale

The world is put back by the death of every one who has to sacrifice the development of his or her peculiar gifts to conventionality. Florence Nightingale

Were there none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better. Florence Nightingale

I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel. Florence Nightingale

To understand God’s thoughts we must study statistics, for these are the measure of his purpose. Florence Nightingale

Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but how can I provide for this right thing to be always done? Florence Nightingale

What cruel mistakes are sometimes made by benevolent men and women in matters of business about which they can know nothing and think they know a great deal. Florence Nightingale

So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard seed germinates and roots itself. Florence Nightingale

No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this devoted and obedient. This definition would do just as well for a porter. It might even do for a horse. It would not do for a policeman. Florence Nightingale

Woman has nothing but her affections, and this makes her at once more loving and less loved. Florence Nightingale

Instead of wishing to see more doctors made by women joining what there are, I wish to see as few doctors, either male or female, as possible. For, mark you, the women have made no improvement they have only tried to be men and they have only succeeded in being third rate men. Florence Nightingale

What the horrors of war are, no one can imagine. They are not wounds and blood and fever, spotted and low, or dysentery, chronic and acute, cold and heat and famine. They are intoxication, drunken brutality, demoralization and disorder on the part of the inferior jealousies, meanness, indifference, selfish brutality on the part of the superior. Florence Nightingale

Unnecessary noise is the most cruel absence of care that can be inflicted on the sick or the well. Florence Nightingale

The craving for the return of the day, which the sick so constantly evince, is generally nothing but the desire for light. Florence Nightingale

What cruel mistakes are sometimes made by benevolent men and women in matters of business about which they can know nothing and think they know a great deal. Florence Nightingale

The amount of relief and comfort experienced by the sick after the skin has been carefully washed and dried, is one of the commonest observations made at a sickbed. Florence Nightingale

I attribute my success to this I never gave or took any excuse. Florence Nightingale

Women should have the true nurse calling, the good of the sick first the second only the consideration of what is their place to do and that women who want for a housemaid to do this or the charwomen to do that, when the patient is suffering, have not the making of a nurse in them. Florence Nightingale

The martyr sacrifices herself entirely in vain. Or rather not in vain; for she makes the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower. Florence Nightingale

By mortifying vanity we do ourselves no good. It is the want of interest in our life which produces it; by filling up that want of interest in our life we can alone remedy it. Florence Nightingale

I must strive to see only God in my friends, and God in my cats. Florence Nightingale

In it and in the other prayers of the Mystics there is scarcely a petition. There is never a word of the theory that God’s dealings with us are to show His power; still less of the theory. Florence Nightingale

Every woman, or at least almost every woman, in England has, at one time or another of her life, charge of the personal health of somebody, whether child or invalid, in other words, every woman is a nurse. Florence Nightingale

That of His own good pleasure He has  predestined any souls to eternal damnation. Florence Nightingale

I hope you enjoy reading this collection of powerful Florence Nightingale quotes. Let me know which one you like most.