Florence Nightingale’s theory emphasized on the effect of environment on healing. She believed that by maintaining an environment that facilitates healing such as good lighting, ventilation, cleanliness, nutrition and avoiding unnecessary noise around the patients, they can be put in a condition for nature to act upon. This theory influenced my goals and values as a nurse.
Nightingale’s theory provides a unique contribution to patient care. In hospitals today, cleanliness is of utmost importance. Hospital rooms in most hospitals have a window to let sunlight in, and adequate ventilation is provided. Warm blankets are given to patients who are cold, and heaters are kept in good working condition to maintain a constant temperature when the weather is cold. The application of Nightingale’s environmental theory to my professional practice helps me ensure quality care, safety and patient satisfaction. It also helps put my patients in the best condition possible, so they can recover quickly (Duffy, Donnell, & Snowden, 2014).
Florence Nightingale was a historical nursing figure in the nineteenth century who is credited for bringing respect to the nursing profession. She introduced formal training program for nurses. She founded the Nightingale School and Home for Nurses at St. Thomas’s Hospital London in 1960. Her curriculum focused on sanitation, diet and psychological care of patients (Duffy, Donnell, & Snowden, 2014).
Linda Richards was also a historical nursing figure in the nineteenth century who is recognized as America’s first trained nurse. After returning from England where she went to get additional nursing training, she shared her knowledge by establishing schools throughout the US and one in Japan. She modeled her nursing practice after Florence Nightingale. Richards helped lay the foundation for modern nursing education as we know it today (Duffy, Donnell, & Snowden, 2014).
The differences in the contributions of these two historical nursing figures include the fact that Nightingale made her mark in bedside care, she focused on sanitation, while Richards is credited with reinventing record keeping systems in hospitals, where patient’s history, past procedures, allergies and medications could be tracked. Nightingale is credited with being the first nurse to formalize the profession of nursing, while Richards was the first American nurse to graduate from a formal nursing program and shared her knowledge by establishing nursing schools throughout the US.
Florence Nightingale and Linda Richards laid the foundation for modern nursing. Their contributions to the nursing profession has influenced the way I provide care to my patients. I’ve learned to apply a holistic approach to patient care, putting into consideration the environmental factors which play a role in the patient’s healing process.
The State Board of Nursing is a regulatory body that decides the scope of practice for nurses within its jurisdiction, sets the standards for safe nurs...
