Florence Nightingale’s Lessons for Global Health Nursing: A Case of the Gambella Region Introduction In the Gambella region, cholera is a permanent problem. The area is known for overpopulation and destitute sanitation, which provides an ideal breeding ground for the Vibrio cholerae bacillus. In 2014, along with the native residents, more than 185,000 South Sudanese refugees have been vaccinated against cholera. It was Ethiopia’s first-ever mass cholera immunization that also reached South Sudanese refugees. Since then, the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have provided medical care, water and sanitation services, not just to the Ethiopian people, but also to the South Sudanese refugees in Pagak and Matar transit centres as well as in Letchuor, Kule and Tierkidi refugee camps and in Itang (MSF, 2014; Web). The purpose of this paper is to discuss Florence Nightingale 's ((1820-1910) theories in the context of the MSF cholera immunization program in Ethiopia’s Gambella region, focusing on the links between the issues of health, water, sanitation, and prevention of communicable diseases. It is argued that the solution to the contemporary deadly relationships between microbial life, poor water and inadequate sanitation in developing countries is based on 1) the sound principle of hygiene/sanitation (i.e. environmental nursing promoted by its heroine Florence Nightingale), and 2) prevention strategies carried by the communal partnership between various national
Over the past two decades, EBP has expanded on Florence's theories. EBP constitutes the combination of clinical expertise, patient values, and research evidence when making decisions about patient care. In the 1990's, it was determined that just increasing knowledge was not sufficient for improving patient outcomes. To obtain better patient outcomes "new knowledge must be transformed into clinically useful forms, effectively implemented across the entire care team within a systems context,
Florence Nightingale was an immense impact on nursing, who “became famous for her revolutionary work as a nurse during the Crimean War” (Kent 30). “She dedicated her life to improving conditions in hospitals, beginning in an army hospital during the Crimean War,” (3 Registered). Her actions were then used by “concerned individuals, rather than by professionally trained nurses” during the Civil War, (Registered 279). Many of Nightingale’s ideas were brought into modern times, but with the improvement of technology and licensed nurses. With the influence and patience of Florence Nightingale, nursing has evolved into an outstanding career.
Some of the measures that the government has encouraged to help curb the problem is boiling of water. This is the cheapest option since the government cannot afford offering iodine tablets and the water filters. The Uganda Red Cross Society has also done its best during every outbreak of cholera like the severe 2006 incidence where more than 300,000 people within the capital city of Kampala were affected directly by the cholera pandemic (Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, 2008). However, this is treatment and not a preventive measure. Even so, this cheapest option
Using her calculations she determined that an improvement in sanitary conditions would lead to a decrease in deaths. During her time this was the first time a woman had came up with such a productive theory to reduce the mortality rate. Florence was dedicated to improving the health and living conditions of the British army, the sanitary and administration of hospitals, and the way women were looked at if they wanted to pursue a profession in nursing.
In 1994 in Rwanda, Doctorw without Borders supports the nation and fights a project against the biggest cholera epidemic in existence.
Florence Nightingale, or as soldiers on the battlefield would call her the “Lady with the Lamp”, was an inspirational women of the nineteenth century that had many aspirations and dreams concerning the care of others. Achieving these dreams by “facilitating the reparative processes of the body by manipulating the patient’s environment” (Potter & Perry 2009, p. 45); Nightingale laid the foundations of modern nursing and gave the country and many others a system that has stood the test and remains timeless. In this, Florence has become one of the most widely known nursing theorist to this day.
Cholera is a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea and vomiting that can lead to dehydration, shock, and death. We chose this topic because the highly publicized earthquake that occurred in Haiti in 2010 played a large role in the cholera epidemic that arose 8 months after the earthquake. Since the earthquake, there have been over 470,000 confirmed cases of cholera (Cholera -Vibrio Cholerae Infection 2014). Cholera persists there because of the poor sanitary conditions and the unprotected drinking water facilities that have been contaminated by the bacteria. Fixing the issue of cholera in Haiti requires a three-part approach such as vaccinations, water filtration and education. Using our needs assessment, in
In a blog post written by Sokari Ekine, the Nigerian social justice activist explains that cholera is an illness “exacerbated by heavy rains; poor sanitation; and limited clean water and associated poor hygiene” (Ekine, 2013). These components factor largely into the chosen intervention activities. Haiti is an island that experiences significant flooding due to its location in the hurricane belt; this flooding makes access to safe water a major issue in a nation with flimsy infrastructure (World Health Organization, 2011). This program plans to restore and improve water and sanitation facilities for they are the main mode of transmission for the cholera bacterium. The corresponding poor hygiene that stems from lack of safe water and sanitation will be addressed in the health education provided for community members.
Two out of every five people living in Sub-Saharan Africa lack safe water. A baby there is 500 times more likely to die from water-related illness than one from the United States. This is a serious ongoing issue that requires the rest of the world to take action. Water spreads diseases easily if the necessary precautions are not taken. Many developing African countries don’t have sewage treatment, or the people don’t have methods to filter and disinfect. Once a person is sick either there is no way to cure them, or medical care is too expensive, so they are left untreated with a high risk of death. Although many believe that the fight for sanitary water in Africa is insurmountable, people in these developing countries can overcome their challenge to access clean water and avoid water-borne diseases through proper sewage treatment facilities, universal water filtration and medical care.
Nursing has developed as a scientific discipline and is starting to emerge into professional status. Florence Nightingale, also known as the “Lady with the Lamp” was the first female nurse. Although Florence had went through quantities of conflict, she still managed to change the profession of nursing forever.
The purpose of this research paper is to discuss the water crisis in the region of Africa and how water can cause many other problems such as inadequate sanitation, poverty and diseases for the population. People living in third world countries are suffering from the water crisis that has become a major problem for the United Nations, World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund, Millennium Development Goals and many of the other organizations. For some of these organizations have been successful in providing a bit more water through the years it’s still a working process. Water is essential for life, it’s not just for the body’s physical need; yet millions of people do not have access to clean water. The lack of accessible of fresh water contributes too many diseases such as HIV, AIDS, waterborne diseases, causing the death of millions of women and children annually in the region. This is making it harder for the communities to develop a safer home for their families and to improve the conditions of the country. This research paper will examine the problems, solutions and causes. How it all comes together, to contribute to this water crisis and to weather there is a solutions set by the United Nations, studies that have been conducted and other organizations, which can maybe work for the years to come. In addition, the same water problems are going to be discussed with regard to Africa for statics, examples and quotes done by the organizations in the past and
Since there were so many healthcare facilities destroyed from the earthquake, the government quickly realized that they needed to aid in solving this problem. Therefore, they decided to build four hospitals almost immediately. “Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to manage four hospitals built to replace the temporary structures that it set up immediately after the earthquake, where tens of thousands of Haitians benefit from free, high-quality care” (MSF, 2013). The government seemed to make a rational decision contemplating how many Haitians would be without medical care in the time of the earthquake. While the government did make this sensible decision, there are still delays in relays of their healthcare system much due to their poor economic status. Consequently, their healthcare system needs to be pushed to the top of the list for the Haitian authorities and the partnering nations. At the moment, there is a transition being made from emergency humanitarian-based response towards a development-based response. Planning and organization of funding will have to become a priority for Haiti to fix any situation of the cholera outbreak. Furthermore, it will be crucial that they also look at funding for any emergency responses that could
Florence Nightingale developed the environmental model theory of nursing. Nery, (2015) states that Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory of nursing, “focus primarily on the environment, interpreted as all external conditions and influences that affect the life and development of an organism, that are able to prevent, suppress or contribute to disease and death.” The four metaparadigm concepts of this theory consist of person, environment, nursing, and health. Within this theory, the patient is being cared for by the nurse, has been influenced by the environment, and has reparative powers (“Nursing Theories, 2011). Nightingale’s theory does not have a clear definition of the person; however, it can be inferred that the person correlates “in relation to the environment and the impact of the environment on the person’s health status” (Butts & Rich, 2018). The highlight of Nightingale’s theory is the environment. Both the external and internal environment needs to be in sanitary conditions. The environment concept of this theory contains “physical, psychological, and social” factors (“Nursing Theories, 2011). The goal of the nurse is the control the patient’s environment to achieve ideal health for the patient. Nightingale’s theory did not define health; however, she stated that nature itself can heal ailments (Butts & Rich, 2018). Nightingale (1859) stated that health is ‘not only to be well, but able to use well every power we have to use it.”
Florence Nightingale, a well-educated nurse, was recruited along with 38 other nurses for service in a hospital called Scutari during the Crimean War in 1854 . It was Nightingale's approaches to nursing that produced amazing results. Florence Nightingale was responsible for crucial changes in hospital protocol, a new view on the capabilities and potential of women, and the creation of a model of standards that all future nurses could aspire towards.
Theory and practice are said to go hand in hand. Theory is shaped based on practice and insight, while it also gives shape and foundation to practice. Florence Nightingale is acknowledged as the founder of modern nursing and a theorist. She believed in the patient’s capacity for self-healing which is reinforced by the nurse’s ability to create an environment conducive to health (Smith &Parker, 2015, p. 50). Her philosophy of nursing is that one should put the patient in the best position for nature to act on him or her. This paper will identify the five essential components of her theory to draw out an appropriate plan of care for Mrs. Adams in the case study. In addition, discuss the applicability of Nightingale’s