Due to the challenging and changing nature of nursing, many philosophies and theories have been advanced to guide nursing practice, education, and research, and although these nursing practices have changed drastically, some of the initial guidelines have remained consistent in time and are still seen today. Many nurses who serve in resource-scarce settings have stuck to the biomedical model stance of nursing, which was unable to meet all the concerns in managing their clients. Florence Nightingale who served as a nurse during the Crimean war developed her own models of nursing along with the environment, which stated that nurses are able to mediate and manipulate the environment to put the client in the optimal condition for nature to act upon (Pfettscher, Graff, Tomey, Mossman & Slebodnik, 2014). Nightingale’s model of nursing and the environment theories are easily adaptable as well as applicable to numerous client care settings, some of which are being used by Toronto’s Homeless and Corrections Team in trying to decrease Tuberculosis amongst Toronto’s homeless population. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease which is caused by airborne spread bacteria when someone coughs, sneezes or talks (Health Canada “Tuberculosis”, 2013). The disease usually targets and attacks the lungs, but can possibly affect other parts of the body as well, including the lymph nodes, kidneys, bones and urinary tract (Health Canada “Tuberculosis”, 2013). For most Canadians, the risk of
Nursing should not be looked upon or practiced as a mere physical approach to healing. Nursing should encompass the aspect of restoring each individual patient to his/her maximum physical and emotional state of being. In order to achieve such a goal, a patient must be able to bond with her caregiver on a personal level (Blais & Hayes, 2011). Jean Watson’s caritas factors sets an environment where the patient can obtain optimum health benefits (Blais & Hayes, 2011). The goal of this paper is to state my philosophy of nursing, the important dynamics and values that led me to adopting this philosophy, and the reason why I choose nursing as a profession. I will further explain how Jean Watson’s principles of philosophy is
Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine
A quote from Nightingales early writings defined “nursing is the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist in recovery” this is not only true in a patient’s recovery but is also true for the well being and the health of the patient and family included (Harvard Libraries, 2012). Nightingales theory of environment is the responsibility of the nurse this in essesence make the nurse in control of the patient’s environment, she has the ability to identify the environmental deficits and apply Nightingale’s concepts directs the nurse to make adjustments and advocate for the patient .(Harvard Libraries, 2012).
Florence Nightingale, born in 1820, revolutionized nursing as it is today. Throughout her time working with the wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, she noted that more soldiers were dying of infections than from wounds. Therefore, she worked to ensure sanitation as well as sufficient health and healing practices amongst her patients. From care to prevention, Nightingale’s practices were able to set the foundation for nurses today. Nightingale distinguished that a healthy environment is essential to one’s health and thus her tenets of ventilation, cleanliness, light, as well as nutrition set the bases of the City of Toronto’s tuberculosis program for the under-housed, homeless, and the correctional population.
Tuberculosis is a disease of an infectious nature caused by a bacterium known as mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease spreads through the air. People with the disease can spread it to susceptible people through coughing, sneezing, talking or spitting. It mainly affects the lungs and other parts such as the lymph nodes and kidneys can also be affected. The symptoms for TB are fatigue, coughing, night sweats, weight loss and fever. One third of the population of the world is affected with mycobacterium tuberculosis. The rate of infection is estimated to be one person per second. About 14 million people in the world are infected with active tuberculosis. Drug resistant TB has been recorded to be a serious public health hazard in many countries. Resistant strains have developed making it difficult to treat the disease. TB has caused millions of death mainly in people living with HIV/AIDS ADDIN EN.CITE Ginsberg19981447(Ginsberg, 1998)1447144717Ginsberg, Ann M.The Tuberculosis Epidemic: Scientific Challenges and OpportunitiesPublic Health Reports (1974-)Public Health Reports (1974-)128-13611321998Association of Schools of Public Health00333549http://www.jstor.org/stable/4598234( HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_3" o "Ginsberg, 1998 #1447" Ginsberg, 1998). The World Health Organization came up with the DOTS (Directly Observed, Therapy, Short course) strategy. The approach involves diagnosing cases and treating patients with drugs for about 6-8
Tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria “Mycobacterium Tuberculosis” and is mainly causes infection of the lungs (WHO, 2016). Its mode of transmission is airborne, so it can be passed on by inhalation of airborne droplets which carrying the bacteria, when an infected patient coughs, sneezes, or spits the TB germs into the air (WHO, 1026). Among the symptoms of active TB are: cough with sputum and blood, chest pains, weakness, fever and night sweats (WHO, 2016). Most at risk to get the TB infection are people with weakened immune system such as people who are suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, severe kidney disease, silicosis and especially HIV infection (CDC, 2016). Children and Tobacco users are also at greater risk to fall ill with TB.
In this paper I will explore the elements of nursing theory and how I believe they are all tied together. I believe that a man’s health will be directly affected by his environment and his nursing care.
Canada has had many events where tuberculosis was having an outbreak in 1924 through 1948, but since then it has been decreasing. We have dealt with this problem back in 2012 where an outbreak of tuberculosis infected 8% of the individuals in the extremely small Northern Quebec community of Kangiqsualujjuaq. After the outbreak The Public Health Agency of Canada is running over to discover the origin of the outburst its spread. Officials are also bringing up more additional resources to the place, such as a mobile x-ray machine. Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria that travel from person to person. A person who is infected with tuberculosis, but does not show any symptoms at all may have dormant tuberculosis and can still transmit
The nursing theory consists of four major concepts including person, health, environment, and nursing. According to the Fundamentals of Nursing, these four concepts “… give nurses a comprehensive perspective that allows you to identify and treat patient’s health care needs at all levels and in all health care settings.” (Potter & Perry, 2009, p. 40) Florence Nightingale’s theory was one of the first models for nursing. The focus of this theory was that nursing consists of caring through the environment and helping the patient overcome their symptoms and changes in function related to their prevailing illness. It also focuses on the manipulation on the environment for the potential benefit of the patient. Florence “… had always seen to the heart of things- that the real nurse must be a dedicated being- that
A metaparadigm is a concept that is extremely general, one that serves to define an entire world of thought. The metaparadigm of nursing is comprised of four parts: person, health, nursing and environment. This concept is important to nursing theory, because those are the key areas of focus when it comes to patient care. In this metaparadigm, the ‘person’ can refer to the patient, the patient’s family members, friends, communities, and groups. The nurse’s goal when dealing with the ‘person’ is to nurture the patient and empower him or her to manage their own health to the best of their abilities. The next part of the metaparadigm is ‘health’. It generally addresses the person’s state of well-being and their availability to healthcare. The other metaparadigm ‘environment’ includes factors that affect individuals internally and externally. A positive therapeutic interaction creates an environment that is essential for patient recovery. The final concept in the metaparadigm of nursing is ‘nursing’. In general, this refers to any hands-on medical treatment from nurse to patient.
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).
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, which normally affects the lungs, but it can also affect any part of the body, including the bones and the nervous system. The disease is spread easily through prolonged exposure to someone who has the illness, from their coughs and sneezes. For a healthy individual the body’s immune system kills the bacteria and prevents it from spreading in the body, which is known as ‘latent TB’. However, if the immune system fails to fight the bacteria, it can easily spread in the body. Symptoms will develop within a few weeks or months depending on the individual. This is known as an ‘active TB’. The symptoms are, constant coughing that brings up phlegm that may also contain blood, which lasts more than three weeks, combined with weight loss, tiredness and fatigue, loss of appetite and also fever. Without treatment, TB can cause major health problems and if its left untreated can even cause death (NHS 2016).
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.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic bacterial infection that affects millions of people globally. It is a contagious disease that is spread through the air, and it usually affects the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person through droplets from the respiratory tract of those who are already infected with the disease. Some who are infected with the bacteria that causes TB often exhibit no symptoms, because their immune systems stop the bacteria from growing and multiplying. Those with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to developing the full blown disease which can cause symptoms that include coughing, spitting blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, and fever. Tuberculosis can be treated with a six to nine month course of a combination of antibiotics. If left untreated, TB will spread and can be fatal.
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.”