Florence Nightingale 's Environmental Theory

I gained an abundance of knowledge from reading about their achievements and contributions to the field of nursing. I have adopted many of their ideals as my own. From the words of Florence Nightingale herself,

Nightingale, F. (1860).Notes on nursing: what it is and what it is not. New York:D.Appleton And Company.

Florence Nightingale was an immense impact on nursing, who “became famous for her revolutionary work as a nurse during the Crimean War” (Kent 30). “She dedicated her life to improving conditions in hospitals, beginning in an army hospital during the Crimean War,” (3 Registered). Her actions were then used by “concerned individuals, rather than by professionally trained nurses” during the Civil War, (Registered 279). Many of Nightingale’s ideas were brought into modern times, but with the improvement of technology and licensed nurses. With the influence and patience of Florence Nightingale, nursing has evolved into an outstanding career.

This paper will examine the origin of the nursing theory in reference to the Florence Nightingale Theory of Positive Manipulation Of the environment. Initially the paper will introduce the theorist and the context in which the theory was developed. Will critique the theory according to nursing theory critique. The paper will further describe the utility of the theory with respect to practice, administration, education and research will also examine the empirical precision of the theory(testability and logical adequacy). Infact the entire paper demonstrates the understanding of the theory.

Florence Nightingale a systemic thinker and a “passionate statistician” (McDonald, 2001). According to McDonald (2001) Nightingales work in nursing and social reform was informed by religious faith or philosophy that favored a systemic approach. The goal of nursing has remained unchanged, since the time of Nightingales model, nursing is to provide a safe and caring environment that promotes patient health and well-being.

The Environmental Theory by Florence Nightingale defined Nursing as “the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery” (Alice Petiprin, 2014). It involves the nurse’s initiative to make environmental settings appropriate to aid in the recovery of the patient’s health. According to Nightingale all external factors are somehow associated with the patient and affects their life physically, mentally, and socially (Alice Petiprin, 2014).

Florence Nightingale is known as the first nursing theorist and founder of modern nursing because her theory on environment changed the face of the nursing practice.  During the Crimean War she observed the correlation between patients and their environment.  As a result, the environmental theory was born which consists of a number of key aspects all centered around “focusing on taking care of the patient's environment in order to reach health goals and cure illness” (Petiprin 2016).  As with any theory there are also core beliefs which make up the theory as a whole.  In regards to the theory I have chosen for my project a few vital things can be said about nursing. Nursing is a calling, it is an art and a science, and it is achieved through environmental alterations.  “The focus of nursing in this model is to alter the patient's environment in order to affect change in his or her health. The environmental factors that affect health, as identified in the theory, are: fresh air, pure water, sufficient food supplies, efficient drainage, cleanliness of the patient and environment, and light (particularly direct sunlight)” (Petiprin

Cherry and Jacob state that Nightingale “introduced principles of asepsis and infection control, a system for transcribing physician’s orders, and a procedure to maintain patient records” (Cherry & Jacob, 2014, p. 8). Florence Nightingale also established the first nursing school in 1860 at the St. Thomas’ Hospital of London (Cherry & Jacob, 2014). Not only is Nightingale the founder of professional nursing, she is also recognized for contributing to nursing research, involvement in political activism, and for her establishment to provide formal nursing education to pursing nurses (Cherry & Jacob, 2014).

Bisk(2016) claimed from the earliest times Florence Nightingale helped evolve the world of Nursing. Nightingale also set standards for the profession as the world knows it's today. She started her profession when she was just a child and began to care for the ill villagers around her family home. In 1854,Nightingale was asked to form a team of nurses to care for the sick or injured soldiers in Crimea. She also cared for patients all hours of the day at night using an oil lamp so she was able to see at night while attending to her patients. When Nightingale was done in Crimea she arrived at England she wrote notes on matters affecting health. The notes later helped reform several military

After years of “victorian responsibility”(“Florence” Encyclopedia 2) forced onto her by her parents such as engaging in courtship and housekeeping, Florence had finally been able to enroll in a nursing school. Florence’s parents would not allow her to be a nurse for many years until finally they were not able to stop her due to her drive and dedication. Nevertheless, this decision by Florence turned out to be a great idea as according to Gay & Lesbian Biography, “ she thrived on the demanding schedule and, as she wrote to her mother, seemed to come to life in-contact with patients and co-workers”(“Florence” World 2). Florence went on to write in her diary “ the world here fills my heart with interest and strengthens the body and the mind,”(“Florence” Gay 2) showing how much she loved nursing and how it truly was meant for her. Florence was able to naturally nurse patients and work with co-workers without a problem. Also, Florence was also able to fight back against her parents by making this decision which is evident in the article by World of Health, where the writer states, “ Within a few years, she ignored their protests and enrolled in the institution of Deaconesses in Germany”(“Florence Nightingale” World of Health 1). Deaconess school was important later in Florence’s life; this was her

The concept of environment and its integral role in the delivery of nursing care was among the first identified and documented nursing concept since its early days. Florence Nightingale pioneered the profession of nursing and along with it, pioneered the concept of Nursing Theory. Her Environmental Theory was patient focused and incorporated five environmental components needed to promote health. Jarrin (2012) supported that the role of nursing is to promote the best possible environment for the patient to assist in their natural reparative process. It dates back from the time of ancient Greek philosophers and historians, including Plato, Hippocrates, and Aristotle, whose works are studied by Nightingale in her early years. According to Rahim (2013), as considered as the profession’s first nurse theorist, Florence Nightingale provided the essential foundation in environmental theory. She believed that some laws of nature, when applied and integrated into nursing care, can assist individuals in restoring their health during their illness, and, in those who are already healthy, promote health and prevent illness.

Throughout Notes on Nursing, Florence Nightingale expresses the importance of proper care to patients. Another factor of nursing that was effected by Nightingale is the professionalism of nursing and how nursing is not only a science, but an art. Nightingale states how numerous subjects in nursing should be improved upon. The specific chapters that show how Nightingale has improved nursing within Notes on Nursing were Light, Personal Cleanliness, Chattering Hopes and Advices, and Ventilation and Warming. In chapter 9, Light, Florence Nightingale emphasizes the impact of sunlight on the patient and how it improves their health. Personal cleanliness was reviewed in chapter 11. Nightingale explores the importance cleanliness has on a patient. Within chapter 12, Nightingale states how to properly advise the sick, as well as give hope to patients. In chapter 1, Ventilation and Warming, Nightingale states the need for pure air within a patient’s room. These chapters express the importance of properly taking care of patients. The focus of this paper is how it was applied during Nightingale’s time and how it is still relevant today in nursing practice. The chapters within Notes on Nursing have had a profound impact on the practice of nursing today.

Florence Nightingale developed the environmental model theory of nursing. Nery, (2015) states that Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory of nursing, “focus primarily on the environment, interpreted as all external conditions and influences that affect the life and development of an organism, that are able to prevent, suppress or contribute to disease and death.” The four metaparadigm concepts of this theory consist of person, environment, nursing, and health. Within this theory, the patient is being cared for by the nurse, has been influenced by the environment, and has reparative powers (“Nursing Theories, 2011). Nightingale’s theory does not have a clear definition of the person; however, it can be inferred that the person correlates “in relation to the environment and the impact of the environment on the person’s health status” (Butts & Rich, 2018). The highlight of Nightingale’s theory is the environment. Both the external and internal environment needs to be in sanitary conditions. The environment concept of this theory contains “physical, psychological, and social” factors (“Nursing Theories, 2011). The goal of the nurse is the control the patient’s environment to achieve ideal health for the patient. Nightingale’s theory did not define health; however, she stated that nature itself can heal ailments (Butts & Rich, 2018). Nightingale (1859) stated that health is ‘not only to be well, but able to use well every power we have to use it.”

Florence Nightingale, a well-educated nurse, was recruited along with 38 other nurses for service in a hospital called Scutari during the Crimean War in 1854 . It was Nightingale's approaches to nursing that produced amazing results. Florence Nightingale was responsible for crucial changes in hospital protocol, a new view on the capabilities and potential of women, and the creation of a model of standards that all future nurses could aspire towards.

As a young woman, Nightingale often accompanied her mother when she visited the sick. This inspired her to want to be a nurse, and against her parents’ wishes she entered a nurses’ training program. During the Crimean war she was asked by a family friend to come and care for the British soldiers at the army hospital. While there she witnessed filth, vermin, and death. Upon seeing the unsanitary conditions and the health risk to the soldiers she began her crusade to establish an environment that would promote health and healing. Thus: The Environmental Theory.