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Philosophy of Nursing

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Philosophy of Nursing The environment in which the patients are in plays a big role in their healing process. Florence Nightingale founded her nursing theory and philosophy on enhancing environmental factors to improve the patients overall health, healing and well-being. Nightingale's attention to environment has added significance to the role environmental conditions play in human health status (Shaner, 2006). In Nightingale’s book, Notes of Nursing, she reflects on how air and water quality, noise, light, and diet and nutrition enhance the healing process. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is similar to Nightingale’s theory of nursing. They both believed that one’s basic needs must be met before they could achieve an optimal level of functioning. I believe that a noisy, uncomfortable environment, along with an unappealing diet will make the patient miserable and uncomfortable. When one is miserable and uncomfortable, it makes it very difficult to achieve a successful outcome. Nightingale believed that her nursing career was a calling from God. She utilized her attributes of love, compassion and veracity to promote quality care of the patient. Nightingale proved to be a provider of care, as she integrated holistic human needs in the provision of safe and effective nursing care. The holistic approach to medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body. I thoroughly believe that a person’s social, mental, and physical conditions all contribute to the healing process. Nightingale believed that you had to treat the patient as a whole, not just by analyzing data. When treating the patient, you have to look at the big picture. In order to meet the patient’s needs, you must observe and fully understand what kind of care will particularly meet that patient’s personalized needs. Florence Nightingale possessed moral authority, so firm because it was grounded

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