There are many myths about the personality and the accomplishments of Florence Nightingale. These myths have been followed for many years, as these are comprehensive. However, the personality and the accomplishments of Florence Nightingale are much more complex. She was a towering figure in the Victorian age and still, there is no match to her. She has made immense contributions to the nursing field. This paper deals with the influences that Florence Nightingale and her accomplishments have on nursing in the modern days. Nursing is a part of health care, which more importantly focuses on the values; shaped by the influences of the values of Florence Nightingale.
The Florence Nightingale Legacy. 2009. Web.
When Nightingale was working as a nurse, many accomplishments were made by her and these species include the addition of females in nursing. Her “Notes on Nursing” was published in the year of 1860. This book has been considered as a guide to help people manipulate the environment in which nursing care is required. The guide is the main reflection of the nursing values that are to be followed by the nurses in helping the people to cure.
An analysis of the guide shows that the values that have been given by Florence Nightingale have been able to make improvements in the modern nursing profession, as there is increasing trust and dependency of the patients on nurses rather than their physicians.
Clark, Lynn, Callister., Elaine, A. Bond., Gerry, Matsumura., and Sandra, Mangum. “Threading Spirituality Throughout Nursing Education”. Holistic Nursing Practice (2004) 18: 160-166.
The main value emphasized by Florence Nightingale in her guide and throughout her life is natural healing. She believed that nature cures alone. The nurses are responsible for creating the best environments for the person to be healed by the nature. Nightingale, thus emphasizing the importance of nature, has accentuated the healing properties of the physical environment. The physical environment includes light and fresh air. The health of the community is an important fact that has been emphasized by Nightingale, saying that the important healer of the client is the health of the families and the communities.
Sullivan-Marx, E. M. “Directions for the development of nursing knowledge”. Policy Politics Nursing Practice (2006) 7: 164-168.
Florence Nightingale, concerning the physical environment, has emphasized the psychological well-being of the client. The physical environment has a relation with the psychological condition of the client. The stressful or incomplete physical environment can lead to stress in the client. Here, the value that has been passed on to the nurses is the power of psychological healing. Thus, positivity and hope are the main values that are reflected by the nurses towards their clients. The nurse can assure this by increasing communication with the client.
Hein, C. Eleanor. (2001). Nursing issues in the 21st century: perspectives from the literature New Nursing Photobooks: M – Medicine Series. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Honesty and moral obligations are the moral values that are to be reflected by the nurses towards their clients. It includes the collection of data related to the clients’ life and the sickness history, including the information about the physical environment of the patient. In this case, the complete information about the patients’ physical and psychological environment is to be collected with honesty and commitment.
Potter, Ann, Patricia., Perry, Griffin, Anne., Kerr, Ross, Janet., and Sirotnik, Kosco, Mary. (1997). Canadian fundamentals of nursing. Edition 4. Mosby.
Personalized health care and sensitivity towards the patients’ health have been the two main values that have been emphasized throughout the life of Florence. The promotion of an integrity of a nurse has been linked with an application of the values that have been emphasized by Florence Nightingale by helping the ones in need and making them live again. The sensitivity towards the patients’ health care adds up to the values that are to be followed by the nurses.
Commitment to the healthcare of the patients has been the virtue that is preached by Florence in her time, and this was the idea that was less understood in that time however in these days this is the fact that has gained importance in nursing. Nurses need to be committed to the health care of a patient and it is the central legacy of nursing. She emphasized the fact that healthcare is a necessity for everyone, and this is regardless of the economic or social background of the client. Thereby the nurses are to serve the clients regardless of their backgrounds in a dedicated manner.
Conclusion
Florence Nightingale still is the model for nurses in the modern days. Nightingale preached many values in the Victorian times that did not hold their importance however, it has been seen that those values hold immense values in the modern days. These values and their application in the modern days make nursing a trustworthy field.
Bibliography
Hein, C. Eleanor. (2001). Nursing issues in the 21st century: perspectives from the literature New Nursing Photobooks: M – Medicine Series. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Potter, Ann, Patricia., Perry, Griffin, Anne., Kerr, Ross, Janet., and Sirotnik, Kosco, Mary. (1997). Canadian fundamentals of nursing. Edition 4. Mosby.
Journal articles
Clark, Lynn, Callister., Elaine, A. Bond., Gerry, Matsumura., and Sandra, Mangum. “Threading Spirituality Throughout Nursing Education”. Holistic Nursing Practice (2004) 18: 160-166.
Sullivan-Marx, E. M. “Directions for the development of nursing knowledge”. Policy Politics Nursing Practice (2006) 7: 164-168.
Webpage
The Florence Nightingale Legacy. Web.