The growth of hospital care in the 19th century
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate the impact of Florence Nightingale on hospital care in the 19th century.
Key learning points
- Most hospitals were unsanitary and staffed by untrained nurses.
- Hospitalism referred to the high risk of infection for patients.
- Florence Nightingale's reputation helped her promote change.
- The Nightingale School for Nurses improved nurses' standards and reputation.
- Many hospitals were built according to pavilion plans from the 1860s onwards.
Keywords
Sanitary - relating to preventing disease by removing dirt and waste
Infirmary - a hospital
Ward - a room in a hospital where people receiving treatment stay
Common misconception
Florence Nightingale encouraged reforms based on her acceptance of Germ Theory.
A lot of Nightingale's ideas were informed by the idea of miasma and how to protect people from it.
Teacher tip
Ask pupils to compare the work of Florence Nightingale and Joseph Lister: 'who do they think was more important for protecting hospital patients' health?'.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a substance that makes you unable to feel pain known as?
Q2.Which surgical problem was the use of ether supposed to help manage?
Q3.Who pioneered the use of carbolic acid to sterilise wounds?
Q4.Which of the following was a method used as part of aseptic surgery?
Q5.Which medical theory inspired Jospeh Lister's work?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following developments into chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. is another word used to refer to a hospital.
Q2.Which group was the drunken and incompetent Dickens character Sarah Gamp associated with?
Q3.Write the missing word. The danger infection posed to hospital patients was referred to as in the 19th century.
Q4.How many nurses were trained at the Nightingale School for Nurses between 1860 and 1903?
Q5.Which medical explanation encouraged Florence Nightingale to promote pavilion plans for hospitals?
Q6.Which statement is correct?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The growth of hospital care in the 19th century, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The growth of hospital care in the 19th century, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Britain: Health and the people - c1000 to the present day unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.