Fundamental of nursing. Exercise Content
Select a nursing theorist of choice and research him/her. Include a summary of your research and how it correlates to the subject you are studying. Identify their key contribution to nursing and explain its importance in healthcare. Guidelines:
APA Format
MUST utilize credible data sources such as CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalKey, The Cochrane Library. Library resources can be accessed from the Library page at the FNU.edu website. FNU Librarians are available to Help each student with retrieving the required scholarly content.
Research paper must be 500 – 650 words.
3 or more scholarly sources must be utilized
Sources must be within the last 5 years
Must have a minimum of 3 Sources
All article sources must be cited by including them in reference sheet (separate).
Florence Nightingale: Foundational Theorist of Modern Nursing
Florence Nightingale is widely considered the founder of modern nursing. Born in 1820 in Italy, Nightingale was called to nursing after experiencing a divine calling from God at a young age. She worked diligently to professionalize the field of nursing and establish it as a respected career. Nightingale made immense contributions to nursing theory and practice that are still impacting healthcare today.
Nightingale is best known for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War from 1853-1856. While most medical personnel of the time lacked proper training, Nightingale and a team of nurses she recruited and trained worked to reform sanitary conditions and reduce mortality rates for British soldiers in the war (McDonald, 2018). Through her observations in the war, Nightingale developed her theory of environmental factors, asserting that the external environment greatly impacts patient health and recovery. She advocated for improved ventilation, nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation in hospitals and healthcare settings. Nightingale’s work in the Crimean War is credited with saving thousands of lives and establishing the foundations of modern nursing.
Upon returning home, Nightingale worked to professionalize the field of nursing. She established the first nursing school in 1860 at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, setting the standard for modern nursing education (Selanders & Crane, 2012). Nightingale developed the first standardized nursing curriculum, focusing on sanitation, hygiene, and patient observation skills. She emphasized the importance of data collection and record keeping to monitor patient outcomes. Nightingale’s model of nursing education spread globally and influenced the development of nursing programs worldwide.
Nightingale made significant theoretical contributions through her writings. In her 1859 book Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not, Nightingale outlined her theory of environmental factors and the importance of the patient’s surroundings on health (Nightingale, 1859). She stressed the nurse’s role in monitoring and manipulating the patient’s environment. Nightingale is also credited with developing the early foundations of nursing theory through her environmental theory (Selanders & Crane, 2012). Her theory emphasized holistic care, prevention of illness, and the treatment of the patient within their full mental and physical context.
In summary, Florence Nightingale laid the groundwork for modern professional nursing through her exemplary work in the Crimean War, efforts to establish nursing as a respected career, and theoretical writings. Her environmental theory shaped the holistic approach to patient care still utilized today (McDonald, 2018). Nightingale made immense contributions that changed the course of nursing forever. Her legacy lives on through the work of nurses globally who continue her mission of compassionate care.
References
McDonald, L. (2018). Florence Nightingale and her mystical vision of nursing. Journal of Christian Nursing, 35(4), E14–E19. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000532
Nightingale, F. (1859). Notes on nursing: What it is, and what it is not. Harrison.
Selanders, L. C., & Crane, P. C. (2012). The voice of Florence Nightingale on advocacy. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No01Man03
