The Nightingale’s Environmental Theory conceptualizes how nurses can manipulate the patient’s environment to initiate fast recovery. The nursing conceptual model can be employed to improve nursing practice in the following three ways.
First, the patient’s rooms can be cleaned thoroughly often to eliminate soil particles, dust, and other dirt debris. Nightingale noted that preserving cleanliness is an essential part of nursing (Nightingale, 87). Thorough cleaning and opening room windows improve ventilation to make patient's breathing easier. In case the room is dirty the patient might develop breathing problems and worsen their conditions. Ideally, without cleanliness, ventilation is unachievable, and without ventilation, cleanliness is unattainable (Nightingale, 92). Thus, nursing practice in hospitals can be improved by cleaning patients’ rooms when necessary and opening windows to allow free air flow.
In the second example, nurses can either persuade or compel their patients to eat the right food at the right time. The nursing conceptual model argues that food should come at the right time and be eaten at that exact time (Nightingale, 65). Nurses should ensure their patients eat any uneaten foods. If the patient is unable to feed themselves, the nurse can assume the role of feeding them. It is notable that some terminally ill patients might be unable to eat which might result in starvation and eventually death. However, the nurse should consider the diet of the patient to ensure they are taking the right food which will improve recovery time.
In the third example, nurses can make the patient's room warm and ensure they are free from noise and other forms of disturbances. Some patients mainly in the intensive care unit require a quiet and warm environment without unnecessary noise. According to Nightingale (67), unnecessary noise injures sick person more than necessary noise. Hence, the nursing practice can be improved by creating an environment that is free from noise.
Work cited
Nightingale, Florence. Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not. New York: Dover Publications, 1969. Print.
