Task 1 Final part. Professional Accountability Samantha Gentsch

Professional Accountability Samantha Gentsch Western Governors University Author Note This writing assignment is being submitted for course C304, Professional Roles and Values, for Professor Lull, on April 3rd, 2020. Nursing Theory Personally, a nursing theory that has influenced my values and goals is the Environmental Theory established by Florence Nightingale. This patient care theory focuses primarily upon the patient rather than the nursing process itself. This theory focuses of patient health by allowing fresh air, pure water, adequate sleep, sunlight, cleanliness of the patient and their environment. If any of these areas were lacking it would directly influence the patient’s health. This theory is important to my nursing practice because the primary focus is the patient and to ensure the best care for the individual patient and their specific needs. Overall, every patient is different, their heath, culture, values and their care must be altered according to their needs. (Petiprin, 2016). In addition, nurses are to apply the Environmental theory to implement excellent nursing practices because nursing is separate from medicine. The goal of nursing is to put the patient’s health first, this involves their environment. Since Florence Nightingales observations taught her that unsanitary conditions continue greatly to ill the health of patients, and that the environment can be altered in order to improve conditions for a patient and ultimately can allow healing to occur. For example, a patient who is in an environment that is unsanitary, has no running water and is unable to clean or care for themselves are at a higher risk for a decline in health due to the deficient environmental conditions. In comparison to a patient whom is in a facility with running water, sanitary and is properly cared and cleansed has a higher probability of improving health than the first example provided. (Petiprin, 2016). Furthermore, the Environmental Theory fits into my professional practice by improving overall care of patients. This theory allows for nurses to take action to ensure an adequate environment to ensure healthy and a suitable outlook upon my patients health. It allows for myself and my colleagues to understand that our actions effect our patient’s health. It is important to identify potential environmental hazards that may affect the health of my patients because nurses can influence and strengthen disease prevention measures to positively affect the patient’s health. .......................................................CONTINUED..............................................