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Nightingale's Environmental Theory
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Introduction to Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
Hegge (2017) articulates the critical aspects of Florence Nightingale's Environmental
Theory to outline contemporary nursing practices' historical and theoretical foundations.
Specifically, this theory posits that the environment plays a central, all-encompassing role in
patient care and personal recovery, suggesting that even minor environmental modifications can
contribute immensely to the care and well-being of individuals (Hegge, 2013). In organizing the
formal Sweetland Division of Nightingale’s course, the elements of nature, cleanliness, light, and
ventilation to create a therapeutic environment are based on Nightingale’s view that people have
an affinity between their environment and their constituencies.
Nightingale’s Theory
Nightingale's theory of environmentalism has been built from the premise that the
environment can significantly affect health. This theory has five principles: Light and ventilation,
clean air, cleanliness, quiet, and warmth. For this reason, Nightingale considered that natural
light can be a source that can facilitate the healing process while fresh air is critical in helping the
patients to recover. She also offered some additional advice concerning the cleanliness of the
environment, which is significant in fighting infections and diseases. Noise reduction was
perceived as helpful in helping the patients get enough rest and improve their conditions. At the
same time, temperature regulation was considered crucial to maintaining the comfort and health
of the patients (Hegge, 2013). As Nightingale correctly points out, the nurse reshapes the
environment so that the above factors can occur, allowing nature to function in a healing
capacity.
Current Environmental Problem: The COVID-19 Pandemic
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COVID-19 is one of the most significant environmental issues in the last five years and
has affected millions globally. This health crisis has further elucidated that environmental
conditions play a role in the incidence of diseases and the prognosis of the affected patients.
These include crowded places and places that allow little fresh air circulation. This aspect of
Nightingale's principles can be seen as crucial in preventing the spread of the virus. In particular,
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected global healthcare, worsened mortality trends, and
highlighted health inequalities. Staying in overcrowded households in urban areas that mostly
lack proper sanitation has exposed people to the new coronavirus and worsened it. The
Government measures imply that all aspects, such as practices of Lockdown, Social distancing,
and vaccination campaigns, have been influential in tackling the spread of the pandemic (Hegge,
2013). However, Enon-Gerin et al., 2012, reported that these measures and their effectiveness
have yet to be implemented and implemented differently worldwide due to the political will,
compliance of the public, and health care. Neck and face cover demands, closure of businesses,
and restrictive quarantine measures have been crucial in managing the virus's transmission but
have also elicited concerns about individual autonomy and economic consequences.
Comparison with Another Discipline: Public Health
Nursing is concerned with delivering care on the individual patient level; on the other
hand, Public Health considers the health status of groups and communities, seeking to prevent
disease and promote health among more extensive groups of people. Both fields apply
significantly in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic measures. Nurses in health facilities have
been at the heart of this crisis by admitting, treating, and discharging COVID-19 patients,
enforcing infection prevention and control standards, and educating the community on healthy
behaviors. While measures have been launched to decrease transmission, enhance
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epidemiological investigation, and provide recommendations for community health policy,
public health professionals actively work in this field (Hegge, 2013). This close working
partnership between nursing and public health has been crucial in meeting the complex needs of
the pandemic.
Stakeholders and Resources
The significant actors in COVID-19 include medical practitioners, relevant government
departments, global health bodies, and other support organizations and groups. Caring for
patients has involved the nurses, the doctors, and the other support staff while the governmental
institutions have been hammering out and enforcing health policies. Non-governmental
organizations have been giving support, information, and research studies, while community
groups have assisted vulnerable groups (Hegge, 2013). Other categories of resources within this
framework include medical, facilities, and communication support, including PPE and
ventilators for medical use, funds for healthcare facilities, and community campaigns for health
measures.
Outcomes and Measuring Success
To be more specific, the impact of interventions can be assessed in the following ways:
Surveillance can be used to track down infections to ascertain high COVID-19 infection rates
and transmittance. It will also be easier to evaluate the efficiency of its functioning by the
increase in recovery rates and the subsequent decrease in mortality. Vaccination coverage is the
final essential parameter, and coverage refers to the extent to which immunity has been spread
through high coverage rates. Thus, citizens' adherence to such health recommendations and
regulations is also considered an essential benchmark of effectiveness (Hegge, 2013). Therefore,
managing the environmental losses as Nightingale did could also be critical for managing the
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current pandemic and enhancing the overall population health. Combining Nightingale's
principles with modern public health approaches, addressing the perpetuity of multiple COVID-
19 waves and forthcoming microbial invasions is possible.
Reference.
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Hegge, M. (2013). Nightingale’s environmental theory.<Nursing Science Quarterly,<26(3), 211–
219.
