Florence Nightingale Research Articles

Remembering Nightingale in her turbulent times: Introducing the Theory of Integral Nursing in our turbulent times

AbstractAimTo connect selected examples from Florence Nightingale's life with concerns for the distress nurses are experiencing worldwide.BackgroundWe live in turbulent times of disease, armed conflict, vast climate change, and social injustice—factors exacerbating illness and impacting health—factors Nightingale also addressed throughout her life.Sources of evidenceThe Theory of Integral Nursing (TIN) is introduced with related examples of nursing's problems and solutions seen through integral lenses at the individual, group, grassroots, and global levels. Illustrating these points, relevant Nightingale quotes and life narratives illustrate how she responded, in her time, to the challenges we face in our time.DiscussionLeading reflections focus on changes needed within nursing's culture to encourage proactive innovations and public advocacy for the challenges nurses face—for nurses to be seen and heard.ConclusionNurses are a potentially significant force to bring our trusted caring and compassion for suffering into advocacy for a better world.Implications for nursing practiceNightingale's vision for maintaining excellence in ‘sick‐nursing’ practice is described with a corresponding aim to develop ‘health‐nursing’ practices to address the causes of illness and injury through public advocacy.Implications for nursing and health policyRecommendations connect Nightingale's hope for future policy leadership with recent global policy calls to sustain positive change within nursing's culture and the global healthcare workforce.

Frances Duberly: a failed Crimean heroine?

ABSTRACT Frances Duberly aimed to address a nation enraptured by the Crimean War (1853–1856) in her 1855 Journal Kept During the Russian War. Travelling with her officer husband and living amongst the army for two years, she wrote as a self-professed authority on the conflict and constructed herself as a ‘Crimean heroine’. Duberly attempted to secure her own sense of belonging, which existed in tension with many contemporary social standards, by presenting the publication of her Journal as a patriotic act and constructing herself in terms of an extension of the soldiers’ heroism. However, that patriotic display proved fragile and problematic in the face of a competing narrative of feminine heroism, constructed around Florence Nightingale, which dominated the public consciousness.

Wilberforce, Nightingale and King Jr: The Wesleyan Tradition as a Basis for Social Justice and Ethical Living

Abstract This article probes the Wesleyan tradition’s contribution to ethical living and social justice in contemporary discussions. It provides a brief overview of the Wesleyan tradition, connects it to personal faith and social duty, emphasizes the Holy Spirit’s role in transforming people and groups, as well as the importance of communal holiness. Through critical analysis and theological reflections, this article demonstrates that key principles in the Wesleyan tradition can inform broader Christian engagement in ethical living and social activism in various contexts, with reference to the lives and examples of William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr, and Florence Nightingale. Accordingly, it is demonstrated that Christians today can work towards a just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive society through an application of the key principles of the Wesleyan tradition.

Legacy and Traditions: Florence Nightingale, the Lamp Lighting Ceremony, the Nursing Pledge and Students Perceptive

The lamp lighting ceremony in nursing symbolizes the transition of nursing students into the professional realm, drawing inspiration from the legacy of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing. Rooted in deep symbolism, the ceremony incorporates the lighting of a lamp, reminiscent of Nightingale's iconic role as "the lady with the lamp." This act signifies enlightenment, the removal of ignorance, and a commitment to a lasting wealth of wisdom. As nursing students embark on their professional journey, the ceremony serves as a formal declaration of their entry into the nursing profession, marking the culmination of education and training. Unique to nursing, the ceremony fosters a sense of community, professional identity, and pride among students. It instills inspiration, motivation, and a reflective stance on values, connecting students to the historical roots and traditions of nursing. With a focus on the positive impact nurses can have on patients' lives, the lamp lighting ceremony becomes a memorable and impactful milestone in the educational and professional journey of nursing students.

Isabella Barbour 'Ella' Pirrie (1857-1929): Pioneering contributions to British nursing.

Miss Isabella "Ella" Barbour Pirrie (1857-1929) made substantial contributions to nursing through her work in Belfast and Edinburgh. Born to a notable medical family, Pirrie's inclination toward nursing was influenced by her father's profession. She trained at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary and was mentored by Florence Nightingale, whose guidance shaped her nursing philosophy and practices. Notably, Pirrie's role in the Belfast Union Workhouse Infirmary was transformative; she championed the implementation of standardized nursing uniforms, enhancing the professional standing and recognition of nurses. Her efforts led to the establishment of a formal nursing training program in Belfast, despite facing significant resistance and challenges. In 1894, Pirrie moved to Edinburgh to become the First Matron at the Lady Grisell Baillie Memorial Hospital. Her tenure there was marked by significant advancements in nursing education, including the establishment of a community and district nursing department. By the end of her service, over 140 nurses had been trained, with many pursuing international missions. Despite her resignation in 1914 due to health issues, Pirrie continued her work as the superintendent of the Deaconess Rest Home in Edinburgh until her death in 1929. Her legacy is commemorated by a statue at Belfast City Hospital and a plaque at Greyfriars' Charteris Sanctuary, reflecting her profound impact on nursing education and the professionalization of the field.

The Legacy of Shanti Teresa Lakra and Its Impact on Public Health in the Andaman Islands.

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shanti Teresa Lakra, a committed Indian medical nurse, has made a major impact on public health. Lakra, who was born in Rangat on May 1, 1972, was motivated to become a nurse by her elder sister. Her work with the Onge tribe has earned her recognition, particularly in the wake of the 2004 tsunami that destroyed their settlements. Lakra has devoted her professional life to enhancing the health of these indigenous people and averting their extinction by working with particularly vulnerable tribal groups. When she started her work, there were just 78 Onge people living there. She worked constantly to improve healthcare and education, and in five years, the population grew to 100. Her effort required overcoming socioeconomic obstacles, linguistic limitations, and the tribe's initial apprehensions. Despite hazardous circumstances, Lakra helped by immunizing the Jarawa tribe during the COVID-19 outbreak. Her efforts have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Florence Nightingale Award and the Padma Shri. Her legacy is marked by her empowerment of tribal communities, her role as a healthcare role model, and her advancements in public health in remote areas.

Cassandra and A Room of One's Own: A common cry of frustration.

In this manuscript, we explore the connections between Florence Nightingale's Cassandra and Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own while taking the authors' personal and social contexts into account. We conduct a detailed textual analysis from a feminist perspective. Cassandra and A Room of One's Own exhibit singular textual commonalities, such as evidence of trauma, the integration of myth and fiction as literary devices aimed at facilitating the author's access to various social spheres, the use of interpellations to impact the audience, and an argument for education as a path by which privileged women can enter the public realm. Both authors' personal wounds and intellectual frustrations influenced their work, thus making their writing very powerful.

The Public's Perception of Florence Nightingale's Legacy in the Digital Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis.

This study critically examines the public's perception of Florence Nightingale's legacy through a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of digital media, specifically podcasts and YouTube. Nightingale, who is often remembered as "The Lady with the Lamp", holds a complex identity within modern narratives that is celebrated for her pioneering contributions to nursing and public health, even if there are some disagreements about her, given the colonialist setting that may have shaped some of her opinions and decisions. This research employed CDA to analyze 25 podcasts and 18 YouTube videos, which were systematically included according to a priori inclusion criteria. The study synthesized how these media products portray Nightingale and, by extension, shape public discourse about the nursing profession. The findings reveal five thematic representations of Nightingale: as a legendary figure, a modern feminist, a dedicated statistician, a pioneer in public health, and a pivotal STEM contributor. These portrayals challenge traditional nursing stereotypes by emphasizing Nightingale's role as a rigorous scientist and reformer, suggesting broader perceptions of nurses that encompass leadership, analytical skills, and strategic thinking. The study supports the hypothesis that digital narratives significantly influence the public's understanding and appreciation of nursing, advocating for a more nuanced professional identity that integrates traditional caregiving roles with critical and analytical capabilities.

Water-free patient care: a narrative review of the literature and discussion of the pressing need for a way forward

Florence Nightingale was the first person to recognize the link between the built environment and patient ill-health. More than 160 years later, the threat of the end of the antibiotic era looms large. The antimicrobial resistance action plan focuses on antimicrobial stewardship and developing new therapeutic agents. The risk from the built environment has been ignored, with wastewater systems identified as major sources of antimicrobial resistance within healthcare facilities. England is undertaking the largest healthcare construction programme globally. These facilities will be operating when antimicrobial resistance is predicted to be at its fiercest. Water-free patient care is a strategy for limiting dispersal of antimicrobial resistance, and preventing patient infections that need further evaluation in new hospitals. A narrative review was undertaken using the terms: waterless/water-free units; waterless/water-free care; sink reduction; sink removal; and washing without water. PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects were searched from January 2000 to February 2024 for reviews and original articles. Unit type, geographical location, reasons for a waterless/water-free approach, and outcomes were recorded. Seven papers were identified. Four involved adult intensive care units (ICUs), one involved a care of the elderly setting, and two involved neonatal ICUs. In five papers, the aim of intervention was to reduce Gram-negative infections/colonizations. One paper was a systematic review of 'washing without water' which reviewed cost-effectiveness and patient experience. All of the five papers focusing on Gram-negative bacilli reported a reduction in infections or colonizations post intervention. More studies are highlighting the risks from water and wastewater to patient safety, and the value of water-free strategies in reducing infection rates.

Assessing Household Awareness of Indoor Air Pollution in Cagayan de Oro City: Implications for Health Promotion

Background & Aim: Indoor air pollution is a significant health threat, yet public awareness remains low, particularly in regions like the Philippines. This study assessed household awareness of indoor air pollution sources in a barangay in Cagayan de Oro City. Using the Health Promotion Model by Nola Pender and the Environmental Theory by Florence Nightingale, it sought to understand factors influencing awareness and inform health programs addressing indoor air pollution in the community. Methods & Materials: This study used a descriptive correlational design to explore how demographic factors influence awareness of indoor air pollution sources in a barangay in Cagayan De Oro City. Surveys, translated into the local language and validated through pilot testing, were administered to 264 randomly selected respondents. Statistical analyses, including T-tests and ANOVA, were conducted to assess associations between demographic variables and awareness levels. Results: Significant differences were observed in respondents' awareness levels of indoor air pollution sources across age groups, with middle-aged individuals demonstrating the highest awareness. Females exhibited consistently higher awareness compared to males across all pollution sources. Educational attainment influenced awareness levels, with postgraduates showing the highest awareness. Conclusion: The study revealed significant correlations between demographic factors and respondents' awareness of indoor air pollution sources. Age, gender, and educational attainment influence awareness levels, motivating individuals to prioritize proper ventilation for health preservation. Recommendation: Clinical practitioners should prioritize health education programs targeting middle-aged individuals, females, and those with higher educational attainment levels in addressing indoor air pollution awareness, emphasizing the importance of proper ventilation practices for health preservation and promoting healthier indoor environments in communities

Leadership in children and young people's nursing: an evolving journey.

Children and young people's (CYP) nursing leaders have experienced considerable challenges in the context of a complex health and social care system with rapidly changing organisational structures, including the establishment of integrated care systems in England on 1 July 2022. The CYP nursing lead at NHS England commissioned a review of CYP organisational structures in emerging integrated care systems across England. The review encompassed a vision for CYP services, leadership, governance structures and opportunities for progression. A proforma was used to collate data from CYP trusts, CYP standalone hospitals and children's wards in district general hospitals. Qualitative interviews were also undertaken with senior children's nurses. At the same time, the first author of this article interviewed senior children's nurses as part of a Florence Nightingale Foundation leadership scholarship. The aim was to explore how they navigated their leadership journey and understand what advice they may give to future leaders in CYP nursing. The findings in this article identify 'what good looks like' in terms of CYP nursing leadership. Six recommendations for future development and enhancement of CYP nursing leadership are outlined.

What Determines the Engagement of Nurses in Organizational Learning Post Covid-19? The Role of Street-Level Bureaucracy and Florence Nightingale Theories

This paper aims to explore what has caused nurses to engage in organizational learning since Covid-19. The empirical sample comprises 27 semi-structured interviews with nurses working full-time in public hospitals in the context of the developing economy of Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the transcripts. The findings include the following three categories of factors: individual (discretionary power, ensuring care to large numbers of patients), contextual (absence of stakeholder pressure, poor funding and resources, lack of communication) and job-related factors (long working hours and demanding duties, low status of nurses) that determine the engagement of nurses in organizational learning. This paper contributes to the literature in public administration, human resources management, organizational learning and healthcare management as a pioneering study specifically addressing organizational learning among nurses before and after Covid-19 in a developing country (Egypt).

Historical evolution of ethical and legal aspects in aromatherapy in Brazilian Nursing

Introduction: Aromatherapy is an ancient practice performed by nurses, initially practiced by Florence Nightingale to calm wounded soldiers in the war and later consolidated by Marguerite Maury, considered an icon of modern Aromatherapy. This practice has sparked interest today due to its inclusion in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices and its congruence with the holistic vision present in nursing education and practice, which aims for care that reaches biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects. Objective: To describe the historical trajectory of ethical and legal aspects of nurse practice in Aromatherapy in Brazil. Material and Methods: This is a narrative review, in which publications from the Ministry of Health, the Federal Nursing Council, and Regional Nursing Councils were fully read, tracing a historical line of the legal developments of nurse practice in Aromatherapy. Searches used the keywords: aromatherapy, integrative practices in health, nursing, combined by the boolean indicator "and". These were organized in a chart that allows analyzing the evolution of these legislations over time. Results: Nursing, through its ethical and legal aspects, is a profession supported for the use of Aromatherapy in the nursing process in various health/disease situations. Nurses are allowed to prescribe essential oils, provided they have the training to do so that considers patient safety, and the development of institutional protocols is recommended. Nursing work in Aromatherapy has been recently regulated, with a minimum course load of 120 hours/lesson, in the form of free courses. Discussion and Conclusion: The ethical and legal aspects of Nursing in Aromatherapy have advanced, with solid ethical and legal bases. However, the lack of mandatory specialized education in the standards of the Ministry of Education, with courses subjected to evaluation and with a course load of over 360 hours/lesson, could mean a step back in the pursuit of in-depth knowledge, scientific research, and innovation. It is concluded that the regulation of Nursing in Aromatherapy is an important pathway opener for entrepreneurship, as well as consolidates its action as an integral member of the Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health.

A Journey of Joy: Dr. Barbara M. Dossey's Evolution in Nursing.

Dr. Barbara M. Dossey is an internationally recognized pioneer in the holistic nursing and nurse coaching movements. She is a Florence Nightingale scholar, nurse theorist, and national and international speaker and teacher on the role of holistic, integral, and integrative nursing and nurse coaching in the integrative healthcare paradigm. Her theory of integral nursing presents the science and art of nursing. Her coauthored theory of integrative nurse coaching, a middle-range theory, is a framework to guide integrative nurse coaches in nurse coaching practice, education, research, and healthcare policy. In this column, Dr. Dossey shares her scholarly journey of joy.

Dear Diary — Shining a light on the work of 200 nurses

BackgroundTo celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Assembly designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. AimTo celebrate this event, we aimed to collect and analyse 200 nurses’ personal accounts of a time when they made a meaningful difference to patient care and to compare the contemporary perspectives that emerged with those evident in Nightingale’s historical writings. MethodsThis project employed a narrative inquiry design with diary entries collected from nurses employed at one metropolitan hospital in Australia thematically analysed. FindingsIn total, 209 nurses from 46 clinical units representing a diverse range of roles and clinical specialties contributed to the project. Five overarching themes emerged from analysis: (1) compassionate practice; (2) person-centred care; (3) human connection; (4) patient safety; and (5) teamwork and collaborative practice. Discussion and conclusionThis project provided nurses with an opportunity to meaningfully reflect on their practice and to consider what matters most to them as they deliver care to patients and families. By mapping contemporary nursing practice to Nightingale’s writings, the findings highlight the historical legacy of nursing practice, provide a rich commentary on modern-day nursing, and illuminate nurses’ experiences of providing safe, high-quality, and compassionate patient care.

An Evolving Structure of Nature Immersion: Roots in Nightingale's Vital Power.

Background: In Florence Nightingale's view, vital power resides in both earthy materials and human nature and is an essential element of health. Vital power is defined as a health force that manifests in states of being while doing in nature to generate well-being, but little is known about the generative process of vital force. Purpose: This secondary study explored the vital power of children who experienced well-being while doing in nature. Methods: Using a framework of the Nature Immersion Model, directed content analysis of parental reflections on their children's vital power experiences sought to explore patterns of being while doing in nature observed in association with parental reports of: (a) change in their children's well-being and (b) qualities of vital power evident in parental descriptions of those changes in well-being. Conclusions: The essence of vital power encompassed feelings of a life-spark, natural energy that prompted a healing shift. Implications for Practice: Linkage between a middle-range Theory of Nature Immersion and Nightingale's perspective adds a new avenue for integrating the spiritual-physical-mental dimension of self during creative nursing praxis.

ENFERMAGEM ATUAL E FUTURA NA PROMOÇÃO DA SAÚDE PLANETÁRIA: ATUAÇÃO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL

ABSTRACT Objective: to reflect on the current and future role of nursing in promoting Planetary Health. Method: theoretical-reflective study, based on documents related to the environmentalist theory of Florence Nightingale, reports from the World Health Organization, and articles retrieved from a PUBMED search using the controlled descriptors “nursing” and “Planetary Health.” Results: nursing, since Florence Nightingale’s environmentalist theory, recognizes the interconnection between human beings and nature. Evolving as a science, it offers independent and collaborative care to people of all ages, families, groups, and communities, regardless of health status, in various settings. The role of nursing goes further, addressing disparities and inequities in both local and global health. Nurses are essential in identifying and mitigating global impacts, promoting Planetary Health. Current and future professionals must focus on prevention, increasing the resilience of patients and communities to climate challenges, thus contributing to the progress of global health. Conclusion: planetary nursing, due to its social influence, is a strong ally in mitigating and changing the population’s paradigm regarding environmental impacts and the necessary adaptive changes, as long as it applies the theories developed since the early days in its daily practice, promoting environmental and planetary health and thus contributing to achieving the sustainable development goals.

Barriers and Solutions to the Gap between Theory and Practice in Nursing Services: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence

Background. The phenomenon of theory‐practice gap has endured within the field of nursing from the era of Florence Nightingale until today, persistently manifesting negative consequences within the profession by accentuating the dichotomy between theoretical understanding and the practical dimensions of nursing. This prevalent issue necessitates comprehensive examination to unveil all the circumstances and variables that fuel the gap, along with exploring viable resolutions to bridge these divides. Objective. To identify, summarize, and synthesize literature on the causes leading to theory‐practice gaps and solutions in nursing profession. Methods. MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, EMCARE, ERIC, and Ovid were searched from 2012 to December 2022. Eligible reviews addressed causes of the theory to practice gap in nursing. Extracted data from included reviews were synthesized using guidelines for meta‐synthesis along with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for qualitative research. Result. The analysis of studies yielded 22 significant findings, subsequently categorized into six thematic areas based on their contextual similarity. Following this, a meta‐aggregation process combined these categories, generating two synthesized findings: (1) barriers for the gap and (2) facilitators for the gap. Barriers for the gap had three subcategories: “clinical life challenges,” “misconception of clinical nursing,” and “lack of collaboration between universities and clinical settings.” The second synthesis was “Facilitators for the gap” which had two subcategories: “create clinically culture‐based content” and “develop clinically based curriculum.” Conclusion. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of barriers and facilitators influencing the theory‐practice gap in the field of nursing. To effectively reduce this gap in nursing care, stakeholders such as regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals, and academic institutions must take into account various contextual factors while recognizing the ever‐evolving nature of the healthcare environment.

Spiritual Care in Hong Kong Home Care Nursing

Florence Nightingale Home Health & Nursing (FNHHN) was founded by a group of experienced nurses in Hong Kong in the year of 2020 with a strong intention to provide holistic nursing care to the elderly at home apart from assisted care required with the following identified values.

The people DataViz’s history ignores: a step forward to an intersectional history of Data Visualization

The history of Data Visualization, like history itself, has been told through the works of a narrow demographic group: white, cisgender men from high-income countries. While Florence Nightingale often features in such historical accounts and some recent literature has branched out to explore contributions from people with diverse gender and ethnical identities, a true feminist, intersectional, and decolonized History of Information Visualization is still missing. This paper attempts to jumpstart the effort of looking at women and people of color in Visualization’s past and examine the oppressive structures that hampered the deserved dissemination of their contributions.