Philosophy of Nursing Everyone’s values and beliefs about the profession of nursing are all different. The four concepts of nursing are interrelated and all mean something different to every person, too. Throughout this paper, I will be reflecting on my values and beliefs about nursing through the four concepts while comparing them to a nursing theorist with views that are most similar to my own. My Values and Beliefs of Nursing I believe that nursing is focused on the holistic care of individuals and their families in order to achieve and maintain an optimal level of health, a great quality of life, and comfort. This is done through promoting healthy living, providing a safe environment, preventing illness, and caring for the individual …show more content…
However, she was able to link the person’s health with the environment through nursing so she was able to interrelate all four concepts into one circumstance (Potter & Perry, 2013). The primary focus of the first concept, nursing, is that the nurse is to give the patient the best possible conditions to thrive in by controlling the factors that affect the health and healing and taking “charge of somebody’s health” (Nightingale, 1860 p. 1). The person in the environmental model was never really defined by Nightingale, but is multidimensional and simply the patient receiving the care. The person is impacted by the environment which leads me into the third concept of environment. Everything that surrounds the person either internally or externally, could play some part in how the person heals (Masters, 2012). According to Nightingale, one of the nurse’s roles is to make changes within the environment to allow thriving and healing. Also, “poor or difficult environments led to poor health and disease”. Lastly, Nightingale states that health is “not only to be well, but to be able to use well every power we have” (“Theories of Florence Nightingale”, 2012). She believed that through the environment and nature, the illness could be cured (Masters, …show more content…
Following, a few of her 13 canons are described. Ventilation and warmth in the first canon means that the patient and the patient’s room should be kept warm and free of odors. Health of houses focuses on the five essential points of pure air, pure water, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light. What she meant by noise is that all unnecessary noise should be avoided because it can affect the patient. Food and food intake means that different individuals prefer different types of foods at different times of day and it might be better to give small meals throughout the day rather that one large meal. Bed and bedding includes providing comfort to the patient by keeping the bed dry and free of wrinkles. Adequate amount of light is essential to the patient’s health and recovery. Cleanliness focuses on keeping both the patient and the environment clean. The other canons are petty management, variety, chattering hopes and advises, and observation of the sick (Nightingale,