Florence Nightingale Environment Theory

Major concepts essential to the Theory.

Patient care theory, environmentally oriented, where the patient environment should be altered to allow nature to act on the patient. (Alligood, 2010). Nurses are to use common sense, observation and initiative to allow nature to heal the patient. The use of Nightingales thirteen canons:

Ventilation,
Warmth
Light
Cleanliness of rooms
Health of houses
Noise
Bed and bedding
Variety
Chattering of hopes and advice
Food
Personal cleanliness
Observation

Approaches, to patient care.

Nightingale believed nursing is a spiritual calling, and all nurses can help the patients in spiritual distress, making it a holistic approach.

The philosophy of the environmental theory of nursing fits well with todays nursing process. The nurses need to assess, identify, implement, evaluate and make changes to the plan to fit the patient individually until the patient has the desired health level. Teaching by the nurses when caring for the sick as well as the patient that has already healed. Observation of the patient and independent judgments made by the nurses.

Examples of each approach to patient care.

Daily changing of patients linens, as well as maintaining them wrinkle free for skin integrity of the patient.

Assisting patients on the daily personal cleanliness, as well as applying moisture to the skin for protection. Maintaining noise to the minimum and allowing patients to have rest time. Keeping the conversations focused on the patient, avoid personal talk or chattering, giving false hopes. Observing and Documenting intake and output by shift to have a clear view of the nutritional level of the patient. Encourage healthy eating as well as drinking and maintain fluids by patient side at all times.

Reference

Martha Riley, Alligood, (2010). ”. In: (ed), Nursing Theory. 4th ed. : Mosby. pp.97-109.