Which nurse is recognized as the founder of modern nursing and documented sanitation techniques and their impact on health?

A. Mary Nutting was a pioneer in nursing education and was the first professor of nursing in the world at Columbia University. She focused on standardized curricula and the professionalization of nursing through rigorous academic training rather than sanitation. While influential, she is not credited with the foundational establishment of modern nursing or early epidemiological documentation. B. Lillian Wald is recognized as the founder of public health nursing and established the Henry Street Settlement in New York City. Her work focused on providing healthcare to the poor and advocating for social reform and school nursing. Although she utilized sanitation principles, her primary legacy is the expansion of nursing into community and social service sectors. C. Clara Barton is famous for her role as the founder of the American Red Cross and her work as a battlefield nurse during the Civil War. She specialized in emergency response, disaster relief, and the distribution of supplies to wounded soldiers. Her contributions were monumental in humanitarian aid, but she did not establish the formal professional nursing philosophy. D. Florence Nightingale is globally recognized as the founder of modern nursing due to her revolutionary work during the Crimean War. She utilized statistical analysis to demonstrate that improved sanitation, ventilation, and hygiene significantly reduced mortality rates among wounded soldiers. Her book, Notes on Nursing, established the theoretical framework for professional nursing practice and environmental health standards.