Alice Fisher (nurse) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Fisher
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| Born | 13 June 1839 England
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| Died | 2 June 1888 (aged 48) |
| Resting place | The Woodlands (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Alma mater | Nightingale Training School and Home for Nurses, London, England |
| Employer | Philadelphia General Hospital |
| Known for | Nursing reform |
Alice Fisher (born June 13, 1839 – died June 2, 1888) was a very important person in the history of nursing. She helped make nursing much better. During her time at the Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH), she greatly improved how patients were cared for. She also started the hospital's first nursing school.
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Alice Fisher's Early Life
Alice Fisher was born in England. Her father was both an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and a priest. Before she became a nurse, Alice even wrote two novels! These books were called Too Bright to Last (1873) and His Queen (1875).
In 1874, after her father passed away, Alice began her nursing training. She studied at the famous Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery. This school was started by Florence Nightingale, a very well-known nursing pioneer.
Alice Fisher's Nursing Career
After finishing her training, Alice worked at a few hospitals in England. She nursed briefly at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and a Fever Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne.
She then became a superintendent at three other British hospitals. A superintendent is like a manager. At these hospitals, she made big improvements in how nursing was done. At the Birmingham General Hospital, she even started a nursing school. She also began giving special lessons to nurses at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.
Alice also wrote an early book about nursing called Hints to Hospital Nurses. She wrote it with another nurse who trained with Florence Nightingale, Rachel Williams.
Alice Fisher often visited her mentor, Florence Nightingale. They also wrote letters to each other. Alice's letters about the hospitals she worked in are kept safe in the British Library.
Moving to America
In 1884, Alice Fisher moved to the United States. She was chosen to be the Superintendent at the Philadelphia General Hospital. This hospital was also known as Blockley Hospital.
Her job was to completely change nursing and medical care at the hospital, which really needed help. Alice did an amazing job! She made huge improvements in how patients were cared for. She also created the hospital's nursing school, which was a very important step forward.
Alice Fisher's Death
Alice Fisher passed away in 1888 from heart disease. She had only been a nurse for 13 years, but she achieved so much! An article written about her death said that her work at the Philadelphia General Hospital helped improve nursing all over the United States.
She is buried at The Woodlands Cemetery. This cemetery is right next to where the hospital used to be. For many years, nursing students from the Philadelphia General Hospital and other hospitals would walk in a procession to her burial site to honor her.
