Nightingale. Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
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Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
Introduction
Nursing is a distinct health care profession whose practice is based on the provision services that improve the health of the patient and provide wholesome recovery. Nursing practice is directly derived from theories that help nurses strive to give their best in their profession. Florence Nightingale is considered the first theorist nurse and her environmental theory of nursing practice has influenced many studies in the world. This paper analyses Nightingale's environmental theory of nursing practice by studying the major concepts of the theory, the theory's assumptions, the definition of the nursing paradigm, a critique of the theory, and concludes by providing personal reflections on Nightingale's environmental theory.
Overview of Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
Nightingale’s nursing theory was constructed from her nursing notes which she compiled from her interaction and care for patients in the nineteenth century (Mdeiros, Enders, & Lira, 2015). The theory is focused on the responsibility of a nurse in the healthcare and restoration of the health of the patient during the recovery process. Nightingale believed that the role of the nurse in the healing process is to configure the environmental setting of the patient so that the external factors aid the patient in the recovery process. Having served as a military nurse, Nightingale had discovered that it was impossible for patients to gain full recovery in the environment where health care providers did not provide maximum care and attention to their patients. She coined this theory with the understanding that her ideas could go a long way to influence the nursing practice and help patients in their recovery process. Major Concepts and Definition of Nightingale’s Environmental
The environmental factor is the main concepts in Nightingale’s theory of nursing practice. Nightingale understood the disease as an absence of environmental comfort, and it is the role of the nurse to restore environmental comfort to the patient (Awalkan & Dildar, 2016). The seven essential concepts of nursing practice emanate from this factor. The concepts are ventilation and warming, bed and bedding, light and noise, personal cleanliness, health houses, food, hope and advice, observation, and variety. Nightingale believed that nursing is independent of medicine and that the role of the nurse was to create a viable environment for the patient to recover. Personal cleanliness is concerned with washing hands when tendering to patients. The concept of ventilation and warming emphasizes the need to provide the patient with fresh air and warmth. The nurse can also go to the extent of offering hope and advice to the patient and give variety including flowers and books to the patient (Awaldan & Dildar, 2016). Nightingale understood that nurses could take advantage of environmental factors to improve the outcome of the patient stay in the hospital.
Assumptions of Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
Just like any other theory, Nightingale’s theory thrives on seven main assumptions. The theorists viewed nursing as a calling and assumed that the nurse should not struggle with providing the above services to the patient. The environment was considered alterable, and the nurse could change it for the benefits of the patient. Nightingale viewed nursing as a distinct profession independent of medicine and that it requires a specific educational base. She also considered natural laws as primary factors that play a role in the environment. Nightingale also assumed that nursing is an art and science that involves manipulating environmental factors to help the pati...