Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Model

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Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Model

Introduction

Florence Nightingale, also known as “The lady with the Lamp” is considered by many to be the founder of scientific nursing and a leading luminary in nursing education. She was the first person to declare that nursing ought to be practiced in a specific way and that it could be achieved through specialised education and training (Meleis, 2011). Her nursing notes formed a strong basis for numerous nursing practices and research in the nursing field. She is the first nursing theorist, who came up with the environmental theory which she explained in her book Notes on Nursing: What it is, What it is not. Her environmental theory is the main subject of discussion of this paper.

The Main Idea of the Theory

Florence Nightingale’s Environmental theory has many ideas and assumptions under which it operates. The basic assumptions embraced by the theory are natural law, nursing as a calling; nursing as an art and a science, humans’ ability to achieve perfection, nursing through altering the environment, nursing that requires a specialised education base and the idea that nursing is totally different and independent of medicine (Selanders, 2010). In her theory, Nightingale depended on several cannons that are now known as the theory’s major concepts.

The concepts of Nightingale’s nursing care include light and noise, ventilation and warming, personal hygiene, quality food consumption, bed and bedding, observation/petty management and sharing hopes and advances. Her document espoused her nursing meta paradigm that forms a nursing conceptual model of Nightingale’s theory (Selanders, 2010). The key paradigms are nursing, person, health and environment. Nightingale’s concepts have unique relationships and thus affect each other. Their relationship is symbiotic in nature since they support and complement each other in practice. Failure to exercise one concept appropriately may negatively affect the outcomes of those concepts that are properly exercised.

Origin of Nightingale’s Theory

Nightingale’s intellectual abilities and her experience certainly led her to develop this theory. She was a statistician and philosopher. She had read a wide variety of literature that influenced her thinking. Finally, being religious lead to a strong conviction in what she termed as “God’s Calling.”

The insistence on a clean environment was a product of her experience in nursing. Her consideration of clean air in relationship to the environment was linked to the air condition to England’s 1800’s atmosphere that was polluted by smoke from coal heating, which affected both indoor and outdoor air quality (Meleis, 2011). Due to her appreciation of sanitation, she also recognised the importance of clean water. During the Crimean war, she noted that the hospitals were infested with rats and fleas. In addition, the wards were continuously flooded by sewerage waters. She also noticed that patients died of diseases rather than wounds. An improvement of their environmental sanitation reduced their mortality rates.

In developing her theory, she used the empirical evidence such as the polar diagram, which is a statistical diagram. She had excellent research skills that enabled her to record what she observed, conceptualise it, infer a synthesised meaning and communicate her findings. In this regard, she developed her theory using empirical information and studies which provided adequate evidence for her to draw the conclusions towards various environmental concepts and assumptions.

Usefulness of Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Model

Nightingale’s theory is very useful for nursing. It has been practical and helpful throughout the 20th century and even now, in the 21st century. The theory further contributes to the understanding and prediction of outcomes in a nursing environment, for instance; it has been effectively used in the management of Tinea Pedis in populations deemed vulnerable (Howett, Connor, & Downes, 2010). Nurses apply this theory by providing patients with the best conditions possible to aid in their recovery. For example, nurses assume the responsibility of reducing noise, alleviating patients’ anxieties as well as providing them with a healthy sleep. Environmental adaptation forms the core of holistic nursing care.

Testability

Nightingale’s Environmental Model has been applied and tested in various environments through scientific research. The tests have shown remarkable evidence of the ability to improve patients’ health by improving their environment. Researchers have proved that unhygienic practices, poor housing conditions, lack of clean drinking water expose children to a number of ailments. Cleaning the environment reduces their symptoms. One of studies that has used this theory is “Environmental Theory Applied to the Home Environment of Children Exposed to HIV at Birth: A Descriptive Research” by Crisitna & Gimeniz (2011). The study exalted the significance of Nightingale’s theory major concepts such as cleanliness, fresh air and sunlight to human health.

Overall Evaluation

Nightingale’s Environmental Model is comprehensive and specific. The theory effectively covers different component of the environment that affect patients’ health. It then narrows down to the specific components of the environment that influence patients’ health and how. To a certain extent, the theory is general since the environment is wide and its impacts are continuously revealed.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Theory

Strengths

Florence Nightingale’s theories were written in a capturing, logical and flowing format. Her writing is considered elegant.

The theory has a broad spectrum of applications, and it has been used in homes, employment places, intensive care units among others.

It raises consciousness of a nurse on the importance of the environment to healthcare outcomes.

Weaknesses

The theory has limited information about psychosocial environment. It concentrates mainly on the physical environment.

There are still contradictions over the applicability of her concepts.

Conclusion

Nightingale’s Environmental Model is a functional model that has helped to improve the ability of nurses to deliver nursing service to patients. The model has been adopted in hospitals, elderly homes, homes, workplace among others. It has generated positive outcomes in places where it has been adopted.

References

Vieira, C. I., & Gimeniz, G. (2011). Environmental theory applied to the home environment of children exposed to HIV at birth: a descriptive research. Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 10(2), 1.

Howett, M., Connor, A., & Downes, E. (2010). Nightingale theory and intentional comfort touch in management of tinea pedis in vulnerable populations. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 28(4), 244-50

Meleis, A. I. (2011). Theoretical nursing: Development and progress. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Selanders, L, C. (2010). The power of environmental adaptation: Florence Nightingale’s original theory for nursing practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 28(1), 81-8.