FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE

Environmental Theory
- It involves the nurse's initiative to configure appropriate environmental settings for the patient's gradual
restoration of health, and those external factors associated with the patient's surroundings affect life or biologic
and physiologic processes, as well as his development.
- Defined Nursing: “The act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery.”
- “What nursing has to do... is to put the patient in the best condition for nature to act upon him” (Nightingale,
1859/1992)
- Focuses on changing and manipulating the environment in order to put the patient in the best possible conditions
for nature to act.
- Taking control of the environment to fulfill the patient's basic needs in order to help the patient retain his own
vitality
Major Concepts of Florence Nightingales Theory:
1. Human Beings
2. Environment
3. Health
Types Of Environments
1. Physical Environment
2. Psychological Environment
3. Social environment
Sub concepts of the Environmental Theory:
1. Health of house
2. Ventilation and warming
3. Light
4. Noise
5. Variety
6. Bed and bedding
7. Personal cleanliness
8. Nutrition and taking food
9. Chattering hopes and advices
10. Social considerations
11. Observation of the sick
12. Petty management
Five (5) Environmental Factors:
a. fresh air
b. pure water
c. efficient drainage
d. cleanliness or sanitation, and
e. light or direct sunlight.
Deficiencies in these 5 factors produce illness or lack of health, but with a nurturing environment, the body could
repair itself.