Introduction
Florence Nightingale was deemed the initiator of learned and scientific nursing and is broadly identified as “The lady with the lamp” (Murray & O’Neil, 2016). Her efforts act as the foundation of nursing research and practice. She is recognized as the first nursing theorist with one of her theories being the Environmental Theory. The environmental model integrated the reinstatement of a normal health condition of patients through the provision of effective care and is practiced to date.
Meaning
One of the major notions of the theory is that nursing is an activity of using the environment around a sick individual to help in their recuperation (Murray & O’Neil, 2016). Another idea is that nursing implies that the actions of a nurse organize environmental surroundings suitable for the continued healing of a patient. The main concepts of Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Model are the environmental aspects that influence a patient’s health, in addition to physiological and biological practices and development. The main relationship involving the concepts (which include fresh air, cleanliness, and pure water to mention a few) is that they work collaboratively to ensure the overall wellbeing of patients. Different concepts affect each other so that the insufficiency of any aspect may result in impaired functioning of health progressions and reduced medical status.
Origins of the Theory
Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Model might have been influenced by the Crimean War (Arnone & Fitzsimons, 2015). During this occurrence, Florence Nightingale and other nurses that she had trained embarked on caring for the injured soldiers through attending to their urgent necessities at the time when infectious illnesses and quick spread of diseases were extensive. The evidence that the theorist cites in support of the theory indicates that the environment (taken as entirely external situations and factors that influence the development and welfare of a patient) can prevent, repress, or result in illness, healthiness, or death. In the research, the theorist was motivated by the practice of restoration of patients’ health as the main goal of nurses which entails balancing the environmental factors. The approach to the theory development employed by the theorist implies that an individual is part of nature and his/her natural defenses are controlled by healthy or harmful surroundings.
Usefulness
The usefulness of this theory in practice is that it helps patients in sustaining their crucial capacity and meeting their needs through facilitating their health (McDonald, 2014). The theory is practical and helpful to nursing so it offers the appreciation of career knowledge and its connection with nurses’ endeavors. It contributes to the comprehension and prediction of outcomes since the provision and balancing of environmental factors have a high likelihood of having positive results and vice versa. This theory could be applied to cases of patients suffering from tetanus since it requires minimum noise and a quiet setting for seizure-inducing stimuli to be prevented.
Testability
This theory is easily testable and has generated extensive research. It has resulted in countless clinical studies aimed at facilitating the recovery of patients. An example of a study carried out with the help of this theory in nursing research by Zborowsky (2014). One of the propositions is that nurses have an outstanding capacity to employ their skills to comprehend the impact of an intended surrounding in the facilitation of patients’ recuperation. Another proposition is that although nurses are in the most suitable position to assist in the healing process of patients through research and comprehension of how environmental factors influence their health.
Overall Evaluation
The Environmental Theory is comprehensive and also specific so that all the concepts are presented and elucidated in depth. In general, Florence Nightingale tackled the aspects of diseases, health, environment, nursing, as well as their influence on patients’ welfare (McDonald, 2014). The theory is powerful as it deals with health past the absence of infection. On the contrary, the theory’s weakness is in the fact that the environmental aspects influence different patients differently concerning their condition and sickness, which may complicate the nurses’ work since they have to handle the factors on an individual basis to ensure the effective care of the patients. I would employ this theory in my advanced practice by ensuring that the environment where patients reside is free from unnecessary noise since it could be detrimental to their health as they lead to disturbance, which may disrupt their recovery process.
Conclusion
Florence Nightingale’s efforts are the groundwork of nursing studies and practice. She is identified as the earliest nursing theorist with the Environmental Theory being one of her most notable ones. The environmental model assimilated the reinstatement of a normal health condition of patients through providing quality care. The effectiveness of this theory in practice is in its support for patients in sustaining their well-being and meeting their needs through ensuring their healthiness. It is practical and useful to nursing because it offers positive reception of medical facts and their relation to the efforts of nurses.
References
Arnone, J. M., & Fitzsimons, V. (2015). Plato, Nightingale, and nursing: Can you hear me now? International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 26(4), 156-162.
McDonald, L. (2014). Florence Nightingale and Irish nursing. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23(18), 2424-2433.
Murray, B., & O’Neil, M. (2016). Nurses’ role in delivering the message: The value of health promotion and patient education in the self-care management of adults with asthma. Journal of Nursing Care, 5(351), 2167-1168.
Zborowsky, T. (2014). The legacy of Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory: Nursing research focusing on the impact of healthcare environments. Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 7(4), 19-34.