Florence Nightingale's nursing philosophy and the metaparadigm framework

Florence Nightingale's Philosophy Of Nursing

Florence Nightingale was born in May 12, 1820 to a wealthy family in Great Britain. She grew up being part of the upper class and enjoyed the privileges available only to those belonging to her social standing. While most of the ladies at that time may be dreaming about marrying well, Florence dreamed of becoming a Nurse.

The Nursing profession now, with all its technological advancements, is not easy. At that time, it must have been daunting. However, Florence flew past all the obstacles just to achieve her dream. Even if the obstacle itself included her family, friends and the social circle she was in. Her decision to be a nurse was very brave considering that she would have to give up so much comfort just to follow her wishes.

Florence's commitment and dedication to the Nursing profession became very evident during the Crimean War. She was deployed in a foreign place where so many wounded soldiers were being neglected to death. She and the other 40 Nurses must have looked God-sent but the Physicians who they were supposed to work with did not believe they were needed when they arrived. Even the supplies she sent for her patients were lost at the sea because the ship that contained them sunk. At these conditions, Florence rose and saved so many lives.

Her service intensified after the war. She revolutionized what was then a not respected profession and established standards that became the foundation of the present Nursing profession. She holistically tackled health issues that sector by sector she was able to prompt not just health but social change itself. Her notes, studies and essays proved that her life was spent taking care of all of those whom her influence can reach.

Florence's approach corresponded to the metaparadigm of Nursing. This framework includes the person, his environment, health and the nursing profession itself. Below are descriptions of Florence's philosophy of Nursing in this metaparadigm.

Florence Nightingale's Nursing Philosophy on the Person

Florence saw that the person plays a crucial role in the Nursing profession. The needs of the person that she responded to were that of the patient himself, the nurse and the members of the community. During the Crimean War, Florence collected patient data to track treatment outcomes. She took note of nursing care deficiencies and made sure that improvements will be done to address it. After the War, she promoted women's, patient's and nurse's rights. She advocated for training of women who later on became nurses in their area. She distinguished the nurse from the other profession. Even the nurses themselves were categorized into those working in the infirmary and those stationed in the district.

Florence paved the way for research in nursing. Because of her health statistics and its analysis, patient care became scientific and methodical and made it a lot better. Later in her career, she even saw poverty as not just a state of scarcity but a state of the patient's mind that the nurses can address. Most importantly, through her advocacy, the sick patients were grouped accordingly to properly address their illnesses and needs.

Florence Nightingale's Nursing Philosophy on Health

Florence believed that addressing a person's health is a critical part of the nursing practice. During the Crimean War, she used mortality rate to address the fact that many of the wounded soldiers brought to them die. She used the data to show that their patient's healths are not improving therefore; modifications in their care are needed. In her notes, she recorded each patient's response to treatment. She was able to address any improvement or decline in the patient's health that helped ensure his recovery.

In India, after the war, she addressed cholera incidences. She saw how the illness affected the people that her made move for counter-measures. Through initiatives in health prevention, she introduced not just the physiological aspect of a patient's illness but also his psychosocial well-being.

Florence Nightingale's Nursing Philosophy on Nursing Itself

Florence shaped the modern-day Nursing practice. Her notes became standard for nurse's charts; her practice in observing/monitoring patients became the foundation for nursing assessment, her leadership in nurses' training begun the nursing curriculum and her compassion, commitment and dedication became the benchmark for nursing ethics. She made sure that the once not respected profession will be a necessity and a catalyst for social change. Her skills and tenacity raised the profession from just assisting the Physicians in applying bandages to a health care colleague who can be trusted to help patients get well.

Clearly, what begun as a young lady's dream became a reality of enormous impact. Florence Nightingale went against her family's wishes to shape the next centuries' practice of caring. Through her intelligence, determination and perseverance, she inter-played four metaparadigms into one Nursing discipline that answered one of the most basic yet very significant human concerns: that is of getting sick and of dying.