Simplicity

The major relationship found within the Environmental Theory is the nurse-patient relationship
where the nurse places the patient in the best possible condition for nature to act. This relationship implies
a helping, or caring, relationship and emphasizes interpersonal relations. All 13 canons, the sub concepts
of the overall concept of the environment, focus on the environment by means of a caring relationship.
The caring relationship found within all 13 canons is uniformly directed at preventing disease by means
of environmental manipulation with the ultimate goal of health and wellness. In addition, all 13 canons
can be combined without losing theoretical meaning. In fact, some of the canons overlap such as bed and
bedding and light. The Environmental Theory describes nursing actions, nursing care and nursing
practice, which explains the importance and predicts that health will ensue if a nurse positively alters a
patient’s environment. Moreover, Nightingale creates guidelines for the implementation of a simple goal.
Thus, the Environmental Theory is fairly simplistic in its approach to nursing.

Generality

The overall purpose of the Environmental Theory is to provide a direction for nursing through
environmental adaptation and manipulation so that the person receiving care attains positive health
changes. The theory is specific to nursing because the nurse is viewed as the change agent. In order to
effectively produce change, nurses must first understand both the patient’s condition and the environment.
The Environmental Theory is broad in scope and can be applied to a number of nursing domains. While it
is clear that the Environmental Theory has many positive benefits in terms of health and wellness and can
be applied to the majority of nursing care, it is not applicable to all instances of nursing because
environmental manipulation is not able to counteract certain disease processes such as genetic and
autoimmune disorders. However, the application of the Environmental Theory with adherence to the 13
canons is able to improve quality of life for nearly all patients.

Empirical Precision

The overall purpose of the theory is to provide a direction for nursing through environmental
adaptation and manipulation so that the person receiving care attains positive health changes. The purpose
of the Environmental Theory is consistent with nursing in that it aims to create a better quality of life for
all patients. In this manner, the Environmental Theory is futuristic. For example, Nightingale used
sensory observation to recognize that washing was a significant and therapeutic nursing intervention.
Hand washing has transformed into a form of primary prevention and is used throughout the field of
nursing .Nursing is vital to the Environmental Theory because the nurse is viewed as the change agent in
terms of altering the environment. The Environmental Theory is used regularly within the field of
nursing, nursing education, nursing practice and nursing research.

Nightingale did not differentiate between physical, emotional, and social aspects of the
environment, but discussed them all as one entity. Nightingale also did not provide definitions within the
Environmental Theory, but she did explain each of her concepts and how to use them within the field of
nursing. While the main concept, the environment, is abstract, the 13 sub concepts are highly empiric
concepts that represent objects, properties and events. Nightingale wrote in great detail about the
importance of observation and writing down observations. The concept of observation developed into
assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementation that are all used in nursing practice today. Hence, the
Environmental Theory is vital to the field of nursing and has proven its accessibility over time and is still
used today.