Healthcare is constantly changing and evolving. Technology has improved many practices. As nurses increase their knowledge via higher education and continuing education, nursing practice continue to follow various theorists both past and present. The nursing profession is unique because many of their practices are based on both nursing and non-nursing theories. There are various different types of entries into the profession of nursing from associate degree programs to doctorate of nursing practice (DNP). Of all the various programs, one of the main goals is to make sure the students are already to work in their select field. Being aware of the various theories and theorist that influence the nursing practice is important. There are three theories that influenced and continue to influence writer’s nursing practice: Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory, Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and Madeline Leininger Transcultural Nursing Theory.
Florence Nightingale is considered one of the first nursing theorists. Even though she never formerly formulated a theory, her scholarly writings and written opinions on environmental manipulation for the promotion of health is well known to anyone studying nursing. Nightingale combined spirituality with nursing to give her patients the best possible care possible. Florence Nightingale began following her mother when she made rounds to the underprivileged areas within their communities (Heggae, 2013). She later professed receiving a call to serve others. As part of her Environmental Model, she has thirteen essential points that must be addressed to promote wellness amongst the sick (Butts & Rich, 2011). These points are continually addressed in today’s nursing practice du...
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...es away. Nightingale, Maslow, and Leininger theories emphasizes that each individual deserves quality care to meet needs from the lowest level to the highest level.
Works Cited
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notices to patients and their families, schedule and lead the meetings. Wishing to be actively involved in the process, I represented nursing along with the charge nurse of the unit and the charge aide.
Florence Nightingale was the Nurse of Nurses. In nursing school she is the first person you will hear speak of. She is known as “The lady with the lamp”. Her theory focused on the adjustment of the environment provided to protect the patient. She thought that a sleeping patient should never be awaken. Noise should always be avoided because it can startle the sleeping patient. This was a serious problem to her. She delegated tasks to other nurses, always keeping the patients safe and away from harm.
First, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was born into a wealthy family in Florence, Italy. Her father valued education so he taught her. Her family didn’t want her to be a nurse because back then nurses were looked down upon and were lower class. She left for Germany and got formal training on being a nurse. She became a superintendent of a hospital and then went to help in the Crimean War. She noticed the conditions of the hospitals during the war and she started to improve hygiene, nutrition, and level of care. She opened a nurse training school and reformed the army hospitals. She wrote a book about being a nurse. She believed nurses should require training and be educated. Florence Nightingale’s legacy of caring focuses on nursing and the
This paper is a first attempt at forming and articulating my own philosophy of nursing.
One of the many theorists that followed the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, was Merle Mishel (Alligood, 2014). However, Florence Nightingale’s theory is different
McIntyre, M. & McDonald, C. (2014). Nursing Philosophies, Theories, Concepts, Frameworks, and Models. In Koizer, B., Erb, G., Breman, A., Snyder, S., Buck, M., Yiu, L., & Stamler, L. (Eds.), Fundamentals of Canadian nursing (3rd ed.). (pp.59-74). Toronto, Canada: Pearson.
"Philosophy is an attitude towards life that evolves from each nurses’ beliefs" (Parker, 2001). It is the philosophy that underlies our practice what brings to life our desire to be nurses. Philosophy is essential because it is the natural extension of our interest in knowing the truth (Parker, 2001). A metaparadigm is the widest perspective of the discipline and a way to describe the concepts that concern the profession of nursing (McEwen & Wills, 2014). In this paper, my philosophy of nursing will be discussed through reflection on the four nursing metaparadigm concepts to determine if anything should be added or taken out.
This paper explores the personal philosophy I have as a nursing student and what I intend to convey throughout my nursing career. A philosophy is “an analysis of the grounds and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, n.d.). Before entering into any profession it is important to evaluate your personal philosophy about the profession, as it pertains to values and principles in which believe in to guide your practice. The field of nursing is more than treating a physiological ailment, but it involves providing quality care for the individualized needs of each patient, hence being client centered. My philosophy of nursing integrates the importance of knowledge base practice of medicine, combined with addressing holistic needs of the patient and family, including the physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social care (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, 2010). Additionally, a vital aspect of nursing is effective interpersonal relationships with other healthcare professionals to promote quality patient care. Moreover, my philosophy includes the importance the client-nurse relationship to aid in health promotion to prevent illness and increase the level of health of clients.
Every person’s needs must be recognized, respected, and filled if he or she must attain wholeness. The environment must attuned to that wholeness for healing to occur. Healing must be total or holistic if health must be restored or maintained. And a nurse-patient relationship is the very foundation of nursing (Conway et al 2011; Johnson, 2011). The Theory recognizes a person’s needs above all. It sets up the conducive environment to healing. It addresses and works on the restoration and maintenance of total health rather than only specific parts or aspect of the patient’s body or personality. And these are possible only through a positive healing relationship between the patient and the nurse (Conway et al, Johnson).
The nursing profession is considered both an art and a science. An example of the science of nursing is the theory and evidence based practice guidelines (EBP), which influence a nurses practice. The art of nursing is fluid of bringing science and patient care into nursing practice. Nurses in all levels of nursing educational programs should study nursing theory. According to Eun-Ok (2015) theory evaluation has declined and it is essential to developing nursing knowledge; which, leads to the development of nursing discipline. Nursing theory should be continually evolving as current health care trends evolve. The best way to accomplish this is through incorporating theory in academia and nursing
The philosophy and science of nursing. Little Brown, Boston. Watson, J. (1985) The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Nursing: Human Science and Humanities.
Sometimes in war a person can learn new things that can befit the world. Nightingale saw that most soldiers were dying from illness and not from there injures that they had received. ("Florence nightingale," 2011) She observed the environment that the patients were in, and notice that most of them did not have adequate nutrition, and their environment was not clean. ("Florence nightingale," 2011) The changes she made in the ward included a better nutrition and a sanitary environment these changes greatly decreased the mortality rate which was at a 42% then drop to 2% ("Florence nightingale," 2011) Nightingale believed that a patient environment affected the healing process for the patient. Nightingale states, “Nursing out to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet, and then proper selection and administration of diet.” (Alligod & Tomey, 2006) Nightingale created 13 canons, which revolves around nurse to critical think and how the nurse can change the environment. An example of one of her Canons is noise, states “asses the noise level in the client room and surrounding area. Attempt to keep noise level to a minimum.”(Alligod & Tomey, 2006)
Nursing is more than merely a job, an occupation, or a career; it is a vocation, a calling, a frame of mind and heart. As a nurse, one must value the general good of others over his own. He must devote of himself nobly to ensure the well-being of his patient. However, today’s well-recognized nurses are notably different from nurses of the recent past. Service is the core of the nursing profession, and the essential evolution of the vocation reflects the ever-changing needs of the diverse patient population that it serves. As a profession, nursing has evolved progressively, particularly in its modernization throughout the past two centuries with the influence of Florence Nightingale. The field of nursing continues to grow and diversify even today, as nurses receive greater medical credibility and repute, as its minority representations
Florence Nightingale is arguably the most influential nurse that has ever lived. She was named after her birthplace Florence, Italy. Her life spanned from May 12th, 1820 to August 13th, 1910; but her impact on nursing as a profession will live on forever. From a young age, Nightingale was exposed to hospitals and their contents, developing an interest in taking care for those who were ill. She also disliked the lack of opportunities presented to women in the workplace. Her interest in taking care of the sick, and in providing women with better opportunities fueled her research and nursing advances. Some of her major impacts include an increase in health standards through gathering and presentation of sanitation statistics, a greater view of
In the practice of nursing, needs are an everyday phenomenon and are a common theme among many nursing theories accessible today. These nursing theories help implement care planning of the patient needs for the best possible outcome. Some examples of need theories include Virginia Henderson’s Nursing Needs Theory and Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (McEwen & Wills, 2011).