Florence Nightingale was a nurse whose work formed the foundation of the environmental theory. The concepts of the theory emanated from her work during the Crimean War. During the war, she discovered that soldiers were not dying from injuries but from other diseases like typhoid. Nightingale altered the environment by providing proper nutrition and improving sanitation. The theory is used in modern nursing because its focuses on the effect of environment on patients. Environment is an important aspect of a patient’s recovery process. In recent years, several studies have been conducted to study the relationship between health and environment. Florence Nightingale developed the environmental theory that heralded modern nursing. The theory is based on the importance of environment on patient recovery and health (Selanders, 2010).

Meaning

According to Nightingale’s environmental theory, environment is an important aspect of the nursing care offered to patients. Nightingale taught that nursing requires professional education and use of knowledge and skills (Alligood, 2011). The theory postulates that nurses should manipulate the environment in order to improve the health status of patients. The environment has positive and negative effects on the health of patients. The main concepts of the theory include the importance of fresh breathing air, cleanliness, food, nutrition, clean drinking water, proper lighting, variety, clean beddings, and efficient drainage (Alligood, 2011). These factors affect the health of patients in different ways.

Origins of the theory

The theory was developed after Florence Nightingale’s successful career in nursing. During the Crimean War, Nightingale offered health care services to wounded soldiers. She aimed at improving the health of wounded soldiers by providing proper nutrition, better sanitary conditions, and clean drinking water (McKenna, 2006). Nightingale reduced the mortality rate among soldiers. For that reason, she continued to provide better sanitary conditions and nutrition. After establishing the St Thomas Hospital, Nightingale started teaching what she had practiced during the war. Her teachings were consolidated into a nursing philosophy, which was referred to as the environmental nursing theory. The most important aspects of the nursing process include observation, diagnosis, planning, and implementation of nursing principles (McKenna, 2006). In order to develop the theory, Nightingale used her observation that organisms in the environment and in the organic materials that soldiers consumed were the causes of diseases (Selanders, 2010).

Usefulness

The theory is useful in nursing practice because it enumerates steps that nurses should take when dealing with patients (Selanders, 2010). It discusses the importance of altering an environment in order to eradicate diseases and protect individuals from infection. This theory encourages nurses to alter the environment using professional knowledge and skills (McKenna, 2006). For instance, by providing proper nutrition, nurses can help diabetic and obese individuals embrace healthy lives.

Testability