The Importance of Nursing Theory - Assignment Example

The Importance of Nursing Theory The Importance of Nursing Theory There are several nursing theories that help us in explaining the phenomena we experience in health. These theories define the profession of nursing and distinguish it from other professions(Stanely, 2007). They also form the basis of nursing knowledge. This paper discusses the environmental theory of nursing developed by Florence Nightingale. The paper is organized into four sections. Section one analyzes the importance of nursing theory in general terms. Section two examines the key concepts of the theory and how they are related. Section three explores the view of the theory on nursing education. Section four summarizes the paper. Nursing theory forms the foundation of the practice of nursing. The various theories equip nurses with the vital knowledge they need to attend to patients. Like with many professions, many theories of nursing have been criticized as being out of tune with the practice(Henderson, Schoonbeek, & Paterson, 2011). These critics posit that many theories bear little or no relevance to the practical needs of the profession. The often cited examples are those of the theories of Freud Sigmund who sought to explain everything in terms of sex. Although the claim may be correct, the importance of nursing theory cannot be dismissed altogether. Students of nursing acquire practical skills when they practice the knowledge acquired from the theories. Nursing theories distinguish the profession from others. This distinction is possible because the theories are unique to the profession having been developed by nurses themselves. Besides, nursing has a fairly long history that has enabled it to establish itself. On patient care, nursing theories have helped enhance the care received by patients in the hands of nurses. For instance, during the time of Florence Nightingale, most nurses were uneducated and incompetent. Then Nightingale proposed formal nurse education and training(Zinner, 2014). Today America boasts of the world’s top nursing schools. Improved nurse training has resulted in improved care. In their Environmental Theory, Florence Nightingale described nursing as the process of using the environment of the patient to bring about their recovery. The theory posits that the patient’s environment affects their biological and physiological processes, hence the recovery process(Hallett, 2011). It is the work of the nurse to manipulate the environment so as to make it conducive to the healing process. Nightingale identified five environmental factors that the nurse should seek to manipulate. These included fresh air, pure water, cleanliness, proper drainage and light. A nurturing environment, where these factors obtain, enables the body to repair itself. The converse is also true: a poor environment produces poor health. The above five factors were of great significance in the day of Nightingale( Australian Journal of Social Work, 1951). Health facilities were poorly constructed and ventilated. Sanitation was also poor or lacking altogether. Nurses had limited education and training and were, therefore, incompetent to attend to patients. Clearly, these are no longer major challenges in contemporary America. However, given the highly urbanized and industrialized nature of the present-day American society, the resultant pollution from urbanization and industrialization demands that some thought goes into locating health institutions. For instance, it would not be prudential to locate a health facility in the heart of an obnoxious industrial park. Hence, the theory is as relevant today as it was in the day of Nightingale. The major concepts of the theory are nursing, human beings, the environment and health(McDonald, 2010). Nightingale posited that what nursing needs to do is ensure the patient stays in best condition so that nature can upon them. The theory does not define human beings explicitly. Rather, it defines them in relation to their environment and how it affects them. The theory stresses the physical environment. This point comes out clearly when one considers the five environmental factors Nightingale singled out as being helpful to the healing process. On health, the theory does not offer an explicit definition. Nonetheless, Nightingale believed that nursing ought to provide care to the sick and the healthy alike. They also believed that nurses should engage in health promotion. All the four concepts are inter-related(McDonald, 2010). The fundamental nature of nursing is promoting health among the healthy and the sick. The activity occurs in the context of the physical environment in terms of buildings, for instance. The quality of the physical surroundings influences the rate of the recovery process. Thus, according to the theory, a patient who is hospitalized in a clean, bright, well-ventilated ward is likely to recover faster than their counterpart who is admitted in a dirty, poorly ventilated facility. It is the work of the nurse to ensure the conducive environment. The Environmental Theory brought about a paradigm shift in nursing in two ways(Godden, 2001). First, the environment paradigm is the most important aspect of the theory. The theory was the first to explicitly examine the relationship between patient recovery and their physical environment. A sanitary environment promotes good health. On the other hand, an unsanitary environment contributes to ill health. Secondly, the theory is of patient care. This is to say that it stresses the care of the patient as opposed to the nursing process, the interaction between the nurse and the patient or the personality of the nurse. As the needs of each patient are unique, the model must be adapted to meet the needs of the particular patient. The Environmental Theory impacted nursing education. It was Nightingale who first proposed that nurses be educated and specifically trained for their positions(Parker & McMillan, 2007). With the training came standards that governed the profession. The result was an overall improvement in the care of patients. Today, quality and safe healthcare remains a global concern. These considerations depend on the proficiency and training of nurses among other factors. Thus, it is becoming increasingly necessary to create care contexts where nursing students can employ the theoretical information they acquire in class while affording practicing nurses opportunities to further their knowledge and stay abreast with developments in the profession. Partnerships between healthcare providers and institutions of higher learning can create opportunities for students and nurses to learn.This knowledge explains why every major nursing school that has no teaching hospital affiliates itself with a major hospital. The effectiveness of learning depends on the strength of partnerships between tertiary institutions and healthcare facilities. This point was illustrated by a study that the English National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Nursing conducted in 2001(Henderson, Schoonbeek, & Paterson, 2011). Strong partnerships are possible to forge where each party benefits mutually from the other. Otherwise, feelings of mistrust and suspicion set in and render the partnership ineffective or impossible. In their model of nurse training, Nightingale envisioned a situation where nursing students get to put their theoretical knowledge to practice. Besides and alongside partnerships, the clinical learning environment, abbreviated as CLE, is another powerful tool that affords nursing students opportunities to practice their knowledge in real-life settings. CLEs include a wide array of healthcare settings. CLEs differ from classroom and laboratory settings in that there are no instructors. A 2010 study explored how the various elements of CLE shaped students’ perception of the profession(Koontz, Mallory, Burns, & Chapman, 2010). The findings of the study indicated the significance of positive and negative aspects of a CLE. The writing of this paper has increased my appreciation regarding the function physical environment in the recovery process of a patient. This appreciation especially stems from the knowledge that Nightingale developed the theory from their personal experiences as a nurse who cared for wounded soldiers in Crimean War. In addition, I find the theory highly practical and easy to relate with. Powerful as it is, the theory has its shortcoming. For instance, the theory is silent on other factors that influence the recovery process such as the nursing process and the manner in which the nurse relates with their patient(Belcher & Jones, 2009). References Australian Journal of Social Work. (1951). Review of Florence Nightingale. Australian Journal of Social Work, 5(3)6-8. Belcher, M., & Jones, L. (2009). Graduate nurses experiences of developing trust in the nurse–patient relationship. Contemporary Nurse, 31(2)142-152. Godden, J. (2001). A ‘lamentable failure? The founding of Nightingale nursing in Australia, 1868–1884. Australian Historical Studies, 32(117) 276-291. Hallett, C. (2011). Florence Nightingale on Social Change in India; Florence Nightingale: the woman and her legend. Womens History Review, 20(1)161-163. Henderson, A., Schoonbeek, S., & Paterson, K. (2011). A framework to develop a clinical learning culture in health facilities: ideas from the literature. International Nursing Review, 58 196-202. Koontz, A., Mallory, J., Burns, J., & Chapman, S. (2010). Staff Nurses and Students: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(4) 240-246. McDonald, L. (2010). Florence Nightingale a Hundred Years on: who she was and what she was not. Womens History Review, 19(5) 721-740. Parker, V., & McMillan, M. (2007). Challenges facing internationalization of nursing practice, nurse education and nursing workforce in Australia. Contemporary Nurse, 24(2)128-136. Stanely, D. (2007). Lights in the shadows: Florence Nightingale and others who made their mark. Contemporary Nurse, 24(1)45-51. Zinner, S. (2014). Paragons of Virtue. Public Integrity, 16(4)411-422. Read More