Sarah Elizabeth Wardroper appointment as matron at St Thomas' Hospital in January 1854. Although nursing was still largely a disreputable occupation she made St Thomas' a model of reformed, professional, nursing and in 1860, with the creation of the training school for nurses by the Nightingale Fund at the same hospital, she was appointed superintendent. Florence Nightingale selected St Thomas' Hospital as the site for her new nurse training school, largely because of Wardroper's qualities (and those of the enlightened resident medical officer, R.G. Whitfield). Nightingale, Wardroper and Whitfield worked together to establish the new school, the first secular training school for nurses
Florence Nightingale Foundation promoting innovation in practice. It achieves this through educational programmes, leadership development and clinical nursing research involvement, including the development of the Florence Nightingale Foundation Chairs in Clinical Nursing Practice Research. The Foundation’s scholarships are designed to enhance the special contribution of nursing and midwifery to society, promoting innovation in practice and improving patient care. The Foundation has three categories of scholarships: The Florence Nightingale Foundation hosts several events throughout the course of the year. These events are held annually such as The Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service at Westminster Abbey, The Florence Nightingale Foundation Annual Conference and Charity Gala Dinner.