Question

Select a nurse theorist and complete a search for information related to the theorist.

1. Introduction: Overview of the nurse theorist: What were the contributions? Why is this theory of any value? What is the significance of this theory?
2. Background/Historical Perspective: Develop the nurse theorist as a real person. Where was she raised? What are her personal values? Where did this person attend school?
3. Theory: Define and explain the nursing theory.
4. Summary: General overall summary of the paper. Is this theory implemented in nursing practice today? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this theory? As a result of this literature review, what have you, the writer, realized? How can you implement this in current practice?
5. References: List all references (minimum of three) that were cited within the paper in APA format

Answer 1

Floranc e Nightingale is the pioneer of modern Nursing, she was born in Florance, Italy on 12th May 1820. During the cremean war, she and a group of nurses improved the unsanitary conditions at a British based hospital reducing the death count by two thirds. In 1860 she established st. Thomas Hospital and the Nightingale training school for nurses. She died on August 13th 1910 in London.

Contributions: Nightingale’s most famous contribution occurred during the Crimean War. On October 21 of 1854, Nightingale and a staff she trained, were sent to care for wounded soldiers at the Ottoman Empire.In 1857, the Nightingale Fund was established to train nurses as a form of recognition for Nightingale’s work during the war.

Background/Historical Perspective:

She was an English social reformer and statistician and is credited with being the founder of modern nursing. She was born into a rich upper-class family and was known to have a very serious demeanor but was very charming to those who met her.

Her theory mainly speaks about environment and its important to health.

• 5 components of environment
  • ventilation, light, warmth, effluvia, noise
• External influences can prevent, suppress or contribute to disease or death.

Person

• Patient who is acted on by nurse
• Affected by environment
• Has reparative powers

2. Environment

• Foundation of theory. Included everything, physical, psychological, and social

3. Health

• Maintaining well-being by using a person’s powers
• Maintained by control of environment

4. Nursing

• Provided fresh air, warmth, cleanliness, good diet, quiet to facilitate person’s reparative proces

Strengths of the theory

The language Florence Nightingale used to write her books was cultured and flowing, logical in format, and elegant in style. Nightingale’s Environmental Theory has broad applicability to the practitioner. Her model can be applied in most complex hospital intensive care environment, the home, a work site, or the community at large. Reading Nightingale’s Environmental Theory raises consciousness in the nurse about how the environment influences client outcomes.

Weaknesses of the theory

In Nightingale’s Environmental Theory, there is scant information on the psychosocial environment when compared to the physical environment. The application of her concepts in the twentieth century is in question.

In the era that we are in today, we are faced with environmental conditions beyond what was ought to be natural and nurturing. Some of the global environmental issues that we have now are global warming, nuclear radiation threats, man-made environmental calamities, and pollution. From these occurrences, Nightingale’s model seemed to be very ideal. Her concept of providing fresh air to patients is in question with today’s industrialization effects.

In addition to the analysis of the concept of ventilation, it is not always beneficial for all clients to have fresh air. Natural air has its impurities which in turn may infect open wounds and drainages such as in burns.

References:

1. Selanders LC. The power of environmental adaptation: Florence Nightingale's original theory for nursing practice. .J Holist Nurs. 2010 Mar; 28(1):81-8.
2. https://nurseslabs.com/florence-nightingales-environmental-theory
3. http://nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/nightingale-environment-theory.php