Research Paper on Florence Nightingale Theory of Positive Manipulation of the Environment

Florence Nightingale is known as the founder of modern nursing. Her contributions and influence not only to the nursing profession, but to the public health care system, is unparalleled. She was instrumental in establishing multiple processes and practices that are still in current practice. She has influenced many nursing theorist and prevailing theories during her career. Many of her changes continue to influence theory development today.

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.

The concept of environment and its integral role in the delivery of nursing care was among the first identified and documented nursing theory 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. According to Rahim (2013), as considered as the profession’s first nurse theorist, Florence Nightingale provided the essential foundation in environmental theory. She believed

The environment theory of nursing is a patient-care theory. The delivery of patient centered care is the best delivery of care a patient can receive. Applying Nightingales environmental care theory of manipulation of the patient environment can affect the patient and assist in the delivery of quality of care. The concept of a clean patient environment has an effect on the patient’s recovery and the prevention of spread of diseases (Harvard Libraries, 2012). Using Florence Nightingales environmental theory and concepts will give a

The conceptual and theoretical nursing models of Florence Nightingale and Nola Pender helps to provide knowledge to improve advanced nursing practice, guide research and curriculum and identify the goals of nursing practice. Florence Nightingales model and Nola Pender theory to community and public health nursing is found to be useful for the improvement of family functioning and the goal to promote healthy communities. Florence Nightingales model and Nola Pender theory are very useful for advanced practice nurses, especially when we are taking care of our patients. The purpose of this paper is to explore how utilizing Nightingales model and Pender theory as the foundation of care and how it can improve health outcomes, nurse-patient interaction and healthcare experience provided to patients and their families by an advanced practice nurse.

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

One could argue, that the evolution of nursing began with Florence Nightingale. She has been awarded the title of the founder of modern day nursing, and many of the practices she implemented in an effort to improve patient care, has molded nursing practice into what is it today. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the credentials and background of Nightingale, review her environmental adaptation theory, and identify sources of her theory. We will also state the major concepts/definitions of the theory as well as provide major assumptions of said theory.

Nursing theory development is a direct reflection of changing philosophies within science (Reed, 2008), allowing for explanation of abstract concepts of health as technological advances occur. Florence Nightingale, the first nursing theorist (Peterson & Bredow, 2004), used British empiricism (Reed, 2008), knowledge based on observable phenomenon (Peterson & Bredow, 2004), to

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.

“Nursing is an art, and if it is to be made an art, requires as exclusive a devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work...” (Nightingale, 1868)

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.

Nursing has made much advancement since Nightingale Environmental Theory but the focus on a healthy environment has remained the same. Pulliam (1997) noted in her article that Nightingales’ theory formed a solid foundation for nursing: fresh air, cleanliness, clean water, warmth, proper drainage, plenty of light, and stress free environment provided an optimum environment for healing.