Objective: Reflect on the influence of Florence Nightingale's teachings to face the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions for the future of the profession.
Methods: Descriptive reflective study, carried out between May and July 2020, through narrative review on the theme and debates between the authors.
Results: The findings are divided into two chapters, namely: Environmental Theory and the teachings of Florence Nightingale in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; and Florence Nightingale: legacy, present and perspectives.
Final considerations: Florence Nightingale's studies with the Environmentalist Theory and her teachings as a nurse are still valid, even after almost two centuries since her prelude, and should continue to serve as a foundation for the consolidation of the nursing profession.