Concepts and Theories in Nursing Essay
Management of patients in critical or chronic conditions requires various interventions that may ensure effective recovery. One of the key interventions for the recovery of chronic patients is the configuration of their environment to make it friendlier. This may include changes in their living space, work space, or social circles. Other interventions may include regular physical activity, stress management techniques, dietary modifications, and pharmacological treatments as needed. It is important to work with a healthcare team to develop a personalized plan that will help improve the quality of life for chronic patients. Florence Nightingale’s theory of environment is one of the theories that can be applied in Mrs. Adam’s case. The purpose of this assignment is to discuss the interventions and the actions that nurses would tale in caring for Mrs. Adam.
Florence Nightingale’s theory of environmental influence on health, known as the “Nightingale hypothesis”, has been validated many times over in studies of both humans and other animals. The basic idea is that the environment in which people or animals live plays a huge role in their health and well-being (Geremia et al., 2020). In the case of Mrs. Adam, it is likely that improving living conditions can enhance the recovery processes and ensure quality outcome. Overall, upon the first assessment of a patient in chronic or critical condition, a nurse would take Nightingale’s Environmental Theory into account by creating a quiet and clean environment. This would include removing all unnecessary noise and clutter from the room, as well as ensuring that the room is kept clean and free of any disease causing organism/pathogens. In other words, nurses ought to take Nightingale’s Environmental Theory into account and make changes to the patient’s environment that would promote healing. Other interventions may include ensuring that patients are in comfortable position, increasing ventilation, or providing adequate lighting.
Actions the Nurse Would take upon the First Assessment Based on Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
From the case scenario, Mrs. Adams have been referred to case management after being discharged from the healthcare facility. However, upon the assessment of her living conditions, it has been found that her home is not the best or ideal place of care. Adam is living with one dog and three cats, besides, the apartment has limited food, reduced light flow, and Adam barely change cloths. From the apartment, air conditioner is broken she lives in a neighborhood with high rates of criminal activities. The nurse would take action by turning on the air conditioner, opening the windows to allow for light flow, and improving the food options. The nurse would also continue to monitor the patient’s condition and make adjustments as necessary. Nurse should also encourage healthier habits. Additional interventions would be based on the results of subsequent assessments.
Five Essential Components to be considered in the Assessment
In order to conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment of Nightingale’s theory, five essential components must be considered: fresh air, pure water, light, cleanliness and drainage.
Fresh Air
Nightingale believed that fresh air was critical for good health and sanitation. She observed that many soldiers became ill due to the dirty and cramped living conditions in their barracks. To improve air quality, she recommended opening windows and doors to allow in fresh air.
Light
Nightingale believed that adequate light was essential for good health and healing. She noted that hospitals which were brightly lit had lower mortality rates than those which were not. Nightingale’s environmental theory about a well light environment is that it positively affects the health of the people living in it (AliSher et al., 2019). She believed that having ample natural light would improve people’s moods, increase their productivity, and make them generally healthier. There’s a great deal of evidence to support her theory; for example, studies have shown that people who work in offices with lots of natural light tend to be more productive and have fewer sick days than those who do not. So what can you do to get more natural light into patient’s life? One suggestion is to create a well light environment- even if it means relocating patient’s bed near a window.
Cleanliness
Nightingale was a strong advocate of cleanliness, both in the hospital environment and in personal hygiene. She noted that patients who were kept clean and free from infection had better outcomes than those who were not.
Drainage
Good drainage was another important consideration for Nightingale, as she believed that polluted water posed a serious health risk. She designed hospital wards with large windows to allow fresh air to circulate and minimize the risk of infection.
Pure Water
Nightingale believed that clean water was essential for good health. She noted that many soldiers became ill due to drinking contaminated water from streams and ponds near the barracks. To improve water quality, she recommended boiling water before drinking it and building wells with safe water points.
Appropriate Plan of Care for Mrs. Adam and How to Prioritize the Care Plan
The first step in creating a care plan is to assess the needs of the patient. In Mrs. Adam’s case, nurses would need to evaluate the patient’s environment and determine what changes need to be made in order to create a healthy and safe space. Some things that should be considered include providing a healthy diet, adequate light, secure living situation, and clean water. Mrs. Adams would require a mostly healthy environment with adequate light, security, and clean water. She would also need occasional monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living. Proper diet and exercise are also important to her care.
Adam needs a care plan that consists of general cleaning and a new environment with proper lighting. Pets need to be removed from the equation because they could potentially cause more harm than good. Ideally, Adam would be transferred to a new home where he can get the care he needs. In most cases, it is also important to provide continuity of care for the patient, which means ensuring that they have regular contact with doctors, nurses, and other health professionals who can monitor their condition and offer support (Borglin & Richards, 2020). Finally, it is essential to provide emotional support for the patient and their family members as they undergo this difficult time, pets should be removed, and transfer to the new environment/apartment.
Applying Nightingale’s Environmental Theory to My Nursing Practice Area
Nightingale’s environmental theory is a great way to frame my nursing practice area because it helps me to focus on the ways in which my environment can impact my patients’ health. By keeping the patient’s environment clean and free of contaminants, I can help to reduce their risk of infection and promote their healing. In addition, by paying attention to the patient’s surrounding environment, I can create a supportive atmosphere that will help them to feel comfortable and safe. This is especially important for patients who are recovering from an illness or injury. By creating a positive environment for healing, I can help to facilitate the patient’s recovery process. To put this into practice, nurses can create healing environments for their patients by modifying the physical surroundings and providing supportive social services. There are numerous patient populations that would benefit from this approach. For example, elderly patients often struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can lead to a decline in their health. By creating a supportive environment in which they can interact with other residents.
Nightingale’s environmental theory is one of the most important nursing theories to date. It has been used to improve healthcare and nursing practice for over 150 years. The theory focuses on four main concepts: the physical environment, the emotional environment, the social environment, and the spiritual environment (Gilbert, 2020). Each of these concepts is important in creating a healthy and healing atmosphere for patients. The physical environment includes things like noise levels, temperature, and lighting. The emotional environment includes things like nurse-patient relationships, stress levels, and patient care. The social environment includes things like family involvement, cultural influences, and social support systems. And finally, the spiritual environment includes things like prayer or meditation opportunities, religious affiliation, and patient hope.
Conclusion
Nightingale’s environmental theory is based on the premise that a well-light environment, pure water, and fresh air create a healthy physical and psychological environment. Security is also an important factor in her theory. According to Nightingale, exposure to light stimulates the production of serotonin, which has a calming effect on the nervous system. Pure water is necessary for good health, and fresh air helps to oxygenate the blood. A safe and secure environment promotes feelings of well-being and contributes to mental health. The first step in creating a care plan is to assess the needs of the patient. In Mrs. Adam’s case, nurses would need to evaluate the patient’s environment and determine what changes need to be made in order to create a healthy and safe space. Nightingale’s environmental theory is a great way to frame my nursing practice area because it helps me to focus on the ways in which my environment can impact my patients’ health. By keeping the patient’s environment clean and free of contaminants, I can help to reduce their risk of infection and promote their healing.
References
AliSher, A. N., Atta, S., Yasin, I., & Sohail, M. A. (2019). Clinical Application of Nightingale’s Theory. International Journal of Nursing Care, 7(1), 13-16. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Muhammad-Sohail-118/publication/330530244_Clinical_application_of_nightingale%27s_theory/links/603bab3aa6fdcc37a85d3d89/Clinical-application-of-nightingales-theory.pdf
Borglin, P. G., & Richards, P. D. A. (2020). Year 2020, truly the ‘international year of the nurse and the midwife’. Nordic Journal of Nursing Research, 40(2), 59-60.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2057158520924135
Geremia, D. S., Vendruscolo, C., Celuppi, I. C., Adamy, E. K., Toso, B. R. G. D. O., & Souza, J. B. D. (2020). 200 Years of Florence and the challenges of nursing practices management in the COVID-19 pandemic. Revista latino-americana de enfermagem, 28. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4576.3358
Gilbert, H. A. (2020). Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory and its influence on contemporary infection control. Collegian, 27(6), 626-633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.09.006
N 491 Module 1 Assignment Assignment: Case Study:
Mrs. Adams, a 68-year-old widow who was referred to case management upon discharge from the hospital based on her physician’s recommendation that she is not able to care for herself independently. Her diagnosis is diabetes, hypertension, and breast cancer. She is 5 days’ post-op from a right sided mastectomy. Mrs. Adams apartment is located in a low income area of the city where crime is prevalent. Upon assessment by the Community Health Nurse, Mrs. Adams apartment was in disorder with minimal airflow or light. Her cloths appeared unchanged and she had no food in the apartment. The small apartment also housed 3 cats and a small dog who Mrs. Adams considers family since the death of her husband 1 year ago. Mrs. Adams complains of pain and draining from her surgical site and a broken air conditioner.
Using Nightingales Environmental Theory, what actions would the nurse take upon the first assessment? What are the five essential components?
What would be an appropriate plan of care be for Mrs. Adams? How would you prioritize the care plan?
Apply Nightingale’s Environmental Theory to an area of your nursing practice? What patient population would benefit from this approach? Support this practice change with at least one evidenced-based article.
The assignment should be completed in APA format, as an essay of between 1000 and 1500 words. The paper should include at least 3 outside references and the textbook. The paper should be in APA format with a title page, level headings, and reference page.
