Florence Nightingale and Hospital Reform - Essay Example

"Florence Nightingale and Hospital Reform" is a great example of a paper on care. Madeline Leininger had a bachelor’s degree in nursing and came up with the concept that caring for a patient is a very important step in the healing process of the same patient. This is upon realizing that this aspect of caring was missing in the nursing practice. On this note, Leininger developed the theory of cultural care. In this theory, she tries to analyze the differences in cultural practices, and how these cultures try to affect the care that a patient receives during their healing process (Chesnay and Anderson, 2012, p. 53). This theory is based on the assumption that if the cultural practices of a patient are met, then the relationship between the client and the nurse will be strong, leading to a quicker recovery.  

Florence Nightingale on the other hand is a British woman who trained in Germany for a period of 6 months (Nightingale, 2012, p. 22). She is very important in the field of nursing because she categorized it as a science and an art. She based her assumptions on the notion that during nursing, there is an interactive process. The process involves the use of knowledge which is empirical and scientific in nature. Nightingale developed a nursing philosophy referred to as notes of nursing. Under this philosophy, the medicinal care of a patient is not sufficient for healing the patient. Nurses must also consider humanistic and psychological needs as well.

Similarities:

        Nightingales and Leiningers theories have some similarities (Chesnay and Anderson, 2012, p. 31). Both of these theories concern themselves with the concepts of caring. Cultural care theory is based on the precept that in caring for a patient, it is important for the nurse to consider the politics, culture, religion, environment, and social views of the patient. Notes on nursing on the other hand believe that the environmental condition of a patient determines his or her quick recovery (Nightingale, 2012, p. 41). According to this theory, a nurse has to consider the kind of food a patient eats, the kind of water he drinks, and the place in which a patient sleeps.

        All these factors must be clean and healthy. On this basis, a patient will be able to achieve quick recovery. Food and housing all determine the identity of an individual cultural environment. The theory developed by Leninger denotes that the kind of food a patient eats influences his or her quick recovery (Chesnay and Anderson, 2012, p. 31). These two theories, therefore, agree on the notion that medical care alone cannot guarantee the quick recovery of a patient.   

Differences:

        The major difference in these theories lies in what encompasses an individual’s environment. For instance, Nightingale writes mostly on the hygiene movement (Nightingale, 2012, p. 41). According to her, the hygienic condition of a patient is the most important factor that determines whether a patient will recover or not. According to this theory, science as well as the observance of hygiene goes hand in hand (Nightingale and McDonald, 2012, p. 53). When a patient fails to recover, doctors need to analyze the kind of hygienic condition that a patient faces, that includes water, food, and clothing’s/beddings. The cultural care theory on the other hand encompasses the entire environment of a patient. That includes his political views, social standings, cultural views, and economic status. This theory does not only focus on hygienic standards, even though they form an important element of an individual’s cultural believes.

Conclusion:

        In conclusion, Florence Nightingale and Madeline Leininger have made a great contribution to the field of nursing. Through these theories, medical experts are able to develop policies that will help in the quick recovery of a patient. These theories are mostly concerned with the care of a patient, as opposed to the actual scientific treatment of a patient.

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