Environment Theory (Florence Nightingale)

• Nightingale's theory focused on the environment and the term "surroundings" was used.
• Bathing patients and maintaining personal hygiene were emphasized.
• Nightingale recognized the surroundings as a source of disease and recovery, emphasizing proper ventilation.
• Direct sunlight was considered a particular need of patients.
• Nursing administration and control of the environment were important.
• Noise around a patient's room was to be avoided.
• Nurses were to protect patients from upsetting news, negative visitors, and disruptions of sleep.
• Pet visits (small animals) were recognized as potentially comforting to patients.
• Appropriate handling and disposal of bodily excretions and sewage were required to prevent contamination of the environment.
• A dirty environment was seen as a source of infection.
• Healthy surroundings were necessary for proper nursing care and restoration/maintenance of health.
• Individual assignment: Read "Notes on Nursing" and write a reflection.
• Group assignment: Create a portfolio on the life of Florence Nightingale, emphasizing her contribution to the nursing profession.
• Nursing is being responsible for someone else's health.
• Manipulation of the surroundings to maintain ventilation and patient warmth was important.
• Nurses were responsible for assessing dietary intake and meal schedules.
• Nursing is considered an art that requires dedication and preparation.
• Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 in Florence, Italy.
• At the age of 17, Florence Nightingale felt the “calling” to fulfill a useful role in the society.
• At the age of 31, Florence Nightingale decided to be a nurse.
• In 1851, for 3 months, Florence Nightingale trained as a nurse in a hospital in Kaiserworth, Germany.
• In November 1854, Florence Nightingale led a group of trained nurses to the Crimean War.
• In 1859, Florence Nightingale wrote Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What Is Not?
• Florence Nightingale died on August 13, 1910 in London, while asleep.
• Florence Nightingale was known as the “ Lady with the Lamp ” and the “ Mother of Modern Nursing ”.
• Florence Nightingale authored the following books: Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, Efficiency, and Hospital Administration of the British Army Founded Chiefly on the Experience of the Late War (Nightingale, 1858a), Notes on Hospitals (Nightingale, 1858b), Notes on Nursing (Nightingale, 1859) and Report on Measures Adopted for Sanitary Improvements in India, from June 1869 to June 1870 (Nightingale, 1871).
• Florence Nightingale’s environmental model focuses on the manipulation of physical and social factors that affect health and illness.
• Florence Nightingale viewed the physical environment as a critical component in both health and illness.
• Florence Nightingale enumerated 12 concepts called The Canons.
• The 5 Essential Components of Environmental Health according to Florence Nightingale are Pure air, Pure water, Efficient drainage, Cleanliness, and Light.
• In most of her writings, Florence Nightingale referred to the person as a patient.
• People are multidimensional, composed of biological, psychological, social and spiritual components.
• Florence Nightingale saw each patient as an individual.
• Nightingale’s concept of environment emphasized that nursing was “to assist nature in healing the patient.
• Health as being well and using every power (resource) to the fullest extent in living life.
• The goal of nursing is to place the patient in the best possible condition for nature to act.
• Nursing is the "activities that promote health which occur in any caregiving situation".