What major challenge did Nightingale face in her nursing career?

The major challenge Florence Nightingale faced in her nursing career was indeed related to the quality of medical supplies in hospitals. During the Crimean War, where she gained prominence, Nightingale observed appalling conditions in military hospitals, including unsanitary environments and inadequate medical supplies that significantly hampered the care of wounded soldiers.

Her pioneering work focused on improving hygiene, sanitation, and the overall conditions within healthcare facilities. This was particularly challenging because the medical community at the time often lacked an understanding of the importance of these factors in patient care. Nightingale's efforts to reform hospital conditions involved not only advocating for better supplies but also for systemic changes in how nursing and hospital care were approached, which was met with resistance from some members of the medical establishment.

The other choices reflect circumstances that were not as significant to her overall challenges. For instance, her family's support was often a contentious issue but did not directly impact the broader context of her nursing work. Government regulations and their inertia also presented barriers to reform, yet they were secondary to the immediate and pressing issues related to nursing practices and healthcare quality that Nightingale addressed directly. Enthusiasm for nursing is not a challenge she faced; rather, her passion for the profession drove her reforms and advocacy.