NR 520 Module 4 Assignment_Florence Nightingales Theory to Infection Prevention

2 Florence Nightingales Theory and Infection Control Nursing theories play an important role in the nursing profession and are meant to guide and lay the foundation for the care provided for patients. Nursing theories have been around for hundreds of years and are still used in many ways in todays healthcare as frameworks for care. Care based and guided by nursing theories positively influences the overall health and outcomes for each patient (Green & Wilson, 2022). Theories are useful in practice because they allow nurses to articulate the things they do for patients and why it is being done for them, this paper will explain one of the most important issues in nursing and healthcare today, infection control and prevention and will explain how Florence Nightingales Environmental theory can be applied to practice. Description of the Issue The occurrence of surgical site infections (SSIs) post operatively after a Total Hip Replacement (THA) is approximately 4.03% (CITE HERE) Preventing or at least reducing the occurrence of surgical site infections after surgery can reduce the number of readmissions after a Total Hip Replacement surgery. Surgical site infections can be life threatening and approximately 3% of patients who develop a postoperative infection die (Beele et al,. 2020). Postoperative infections can cause other problems such as implant rejection, sepsis, multi organ failure and is the most common cause of postoperative death. Research shows that approximately 2.03% of patients who undergo a Total Hip Replacement will acquire an infection and require a 4 nurses can modify a patient’s environment to assist in restoring a patient’s health. The environmental theory applies to practice in a way that nurses view patients as an individual and consider their physical, social, psychological and spiritual aspects when planning and performing interventions. When patients are viewed as more than just their illness, the other factors that influence their health can be considered and implemented. Reducing infection begins with keeping a patient’s environments clean, free of clutter and germs. Conclusion The importance of nursing theories is just as important now as they ever were. These theories play an important role in healthcare and are meant to guide the care delivered to patients. Dating back over a century ago, nursing theories have been guiding nurses and are still used in many ways today. These frameworks of care when used in healthcare delivery, positively influence the overall health and outcomes for each patient. Theories give nurses and healthcare members a way to communicate with patients about the interventions they perform and explain why it was done and is necessary (Bates & Memel, 2021). Florence Nightingales Environmental theory can be applied to practice in ways that prevent postoperative infection for patients who undergo a total hip replacement. Florence Nightingales environmental theory lays a foundation to prevent infection and incorporate a patient’s surroundings and environment into the interventions performed. Florence Nightingale s theory is defined as utilizing the patient’s environment to assist them in recovery.