Florence Nightingale importance of her later work in professionalising nursing roles for women. In 1860, Nightingale laid the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St Thomas' Hospital in London. It was the first secular nursing school in the world, and is now part of King's College London. In recognition of her pioneering work in nursing, the Nightingale Pledge taken by new nurses, and the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve, were named in her honour, and the annual International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on her birthday. Her social
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.