II.

THEORIES

Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

The Environmental Theory by Florence Nightingale defined Nursing
as “the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his
recovery.” It involves the nurse’s initiative to configure environmental
settings appropriate for the gradual restoration of the patient’s health,
and that external factors associated with the patient’s surroundings
affect life or biologic and physiologic processes, and his development.
Human beings are not defined by Nightingale specifically. They are
defined in relationship to their environment and the impact of the
environment upon them.
Therefore, the Environmental Theory of Nursing is a patient-care
theory. It focuses in the alteration of the patient’s environment in order
to affect change in his or her health. Caring for the patient is of more
importance rather than the nursing process, the relationship between
patient and nurse, or the individual nurse. In this way, the model must
be adapted to fit the needs of individual patients. The environmental
factors affect different patients unique to their situations and illnesses,
and the nurse must address these factors on a case-by-case basis in
order to make sure the factors are altered in a way that best cares for
an individual patient and his or her needs. The environmental factors
that may influence the health are air, drainage, and cleanliness.
Air can affect their health status because since their are living near
in a pineapple field. The pineapple farm is spraying insecticide twice a
week, once spraying insecticide, some of the insecticide droplets is
carried by the wind giving the possibilities that the family can inhale the
insecticide carried by the wind. Also the family has a open pit privy and
an open drainage, which the family can inhale the foul smell coming
from the open pit privy and open drainage. The family is also
experiencing unsanitary environment, the mother verbalized that
sometimes she is unable to clean their house because of being busy
minding about the children. She still have to bathe the children, cook
for the children, washing their clothes.

Altering the environment with the participation of the client will

provide an environment and conducive to the health maintenance and
personal development of the client and client’s family. The nurse won’t
do much without the client participating because they would just go
back to their old habits and forget anything that the nurse tries to
imply. Knowing that the problem is for life, the client must be cautious
and avoid factors that could worsen the problem. Environmental
hazards can probably affect the condition and the health care team
should cooperate with the client and client’s family to avoid problems
that may arise. The environment is an important and relevant part for
the betterment of the client’s health and personal development. The
theory will be just the right theory to be taught and given importance by
the client due to its relevance in the development and personal health of
the client.