FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE

ENVIRONMENTAL THEORY

PERSON
• defined in relation to his/her environment and the impact of the environment upon
him/her
• referred to as a patient – performs self-care when possible

HEALTH
• balance between human and his/her environment
• being well and using every power (resource) to the fullest extent in living life
• disease and illness – reparative process that nature instituted when a person did
not attend to health concerns
• health maintenance through prevention of disease via environmental control and
social responsibility

ENVIRONMENT
• F. N. synthesized immediate knowledge of disease with the existing sanitary
conditions in the environment.

NURSING
• major component of nursing: manipulation of physical environment
• Nursing “ought to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness,
quiet, and the proper selection and administration of diet – all at the least expense
of vital power to the patient.”

Major areas of environment that can be controlled by the nurse:

health of houses
• presence of pure air
• pure water
• efficient drainage
• light

light
• direct sunlight
• purifying effect of direct sunlight upon room air

ventilation and warming

• breathe air that is as pure as external air; without chilling
• source of the air in the patient’s room
• proper room temperature
• patient’s body temperature
noise
• can harm the patient

bed and bedding

• Bed should be placed in the lightest part of the room and placed so the patient could see
out a window.
• Care giver should never lean against, sit upon, or unnecessarily shake the bed of a
patient.
• clean, neat, and dry
• positioning the patient for maximum comfort

variety
• need for changing color and form
• reading, needlework, writing and cleaning as activities to relieve boredom

cleanliness
• personal (patient, nurse)
• physical environment
- dirty environment as source of infection

nutrition
• dietary intake
• variety of food
• no distraction while eating
• right food brought at the right time

chattering hopes and advices

• False hope can be depressing.
• Heed what is being said; sick persons should hear good news.