Nightingale New Information (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Purpose:

The purpose of this discussion is for learners to describe Nightingale information new to them related to leadership and/or provision of care.

Course Outcomes:

This discussion enables the student to meet the following course outcome:

CO1: Describe persons and events in nursing history from the early years through the 19^th century related to leadership and provision of care. (PO2)

Due Date

During the assigned week (Sunday the start of the assigned week through Sunday the end of the assigned week):
- Posts in the discussion at least two times, and
- Posts in the discussion on two different days

Points Possible

50 points

Directions

Discussions are designed to promote dialogue between faculty and students, and students and their peers. In discussions students:
- Demonstrate understanding of concepts for the week
- Integrate outside scholarly sources when required
- Engage in meaningful dialogue with classmates and/or instructor
- Express opinions clearly and logically, in a professional manner
Use the rubric on this page as you compose your answers.
Best Practices include:
- Participation early in the week is encouraged to stimulate meaningful discussion among classmates and instructor.
- Enter the discussion often during the week to read and learn from posts.
- Select different classmates for your reply each week.

Discussion

The basic story of Florence Nightingale is familiar to most nurses. This week we learned more about Nightingale’s life and work. Select one area of Nightingale’s leadership that was new to you and tell us how this changed your understanding of this important woman and her contributions to nursing.

ANSWER

Nightingale Information New to You

While serving during the Crimean war, Nightingale discovered that the British soldiers’ deaths were primarily caused by poor hospital conditions and not their wounds (McEwin & Willis, 2019). The hospitals had open sewers and lacked pure water, fresh air, and cleanliness, which exacerbated the soldier’s conditions. According to McEwin and Willis (2019), Nightingale fought the local and federal governments to procure humane treatment for soldiers. She instigated changes to resolve these problems despite the resistance from lead physicians. She also made hospital rounds at night to review nurses’ care of the soldiers and instituted record keeping of the care processes. She used the data from the records to determine whether her interventions were working.

Traditionally, nurses’ main role was to carry out physicians’ orders. According to McEwin and Willis (2019), nurses were expected to be obedient and submissive and fulfill their physician duties without question. I learned today that Nightingale’s advocacy for quality improvement might have changed how the world viewed nurses. By advocating for and implementing positive change, Nightingale demonstrated to the world that nurses’ were as capable of reforming the healthcare system as physicians. McEwin and Willis (2019) claim that Nightingale’s care system reduced casualties from 48% to 2% within two years. This substantial improvement might have influenced the world to see and accept nurses as leaders. Today, nurses are called upon to be strong patient advocates and participate in health policy and healthcare reforms (Wood, 2011). Nightingale’s success demonstrated nurses’ competency and expertise in healthcare reforms, meaning nursing leadership stems from Florence Nightingale’s early advocacy and quality improvement initiatives.

References

McEwen, M., & Willis, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing. Philadephia, Baltimore New York: Wolters-Kluwer.

Wood, R. (2011). Transforming Leadership. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209867/