There are several theorists that can fit the neonatal population, but the one that I am selecting today is Florence Nightingale.\u00a0 Although she is one of the oldest theorists, her model can still be applied to everyday nursing. \u00a0All patients are prone to getting an infection; however, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is particularly at risk.\u00a0 Florence Nightingale gave us some principles that would help many of our patients.\u00a0 She believed in keeping the environment clean, therefore observing good infection control.\u00a0 She also believed in keeping the patient in the best condition and letting nature take its course or \u201cGod.\u201d So Florence did have a spiritual connection which made her sensitive to cultural awareness of others (DeNisco & Barker, 2013).<\/p>\n
I believe Florence Nightingale\u2019s research model is quantitative.\u00a0 She believed that if an environment was kept clean, that the patient would not develop infections.\u00a0 She believed that nurses needed to wash their hands frequently.\u00a0 Back in that era, this was not a highly common practice.\u00a0 Bringing it to this generation, looking at the NICU, it makes sense.\u00a0 The NICU believes in keeping a sterile environment allowing only certain visitors to see the babies and frequent hand washing and scrubbing for the staff and the parents.\u00a0 When parents are sick, they are asked not to come to the NICU, if a baby is sick, the parents are asked to wear a mask, gown, and even wear gloves, depending on the baby\u2019s condition. This is an example of keeping the environment free of infections so as not to spread it to the babies (Alligood, 2010).<\/p>\n
References<\/p>\n
Alligood, M. (2010). Madeleine M. Leininger: Modern Nursing. In Alligood Introduction to the Nursing Theory<\/em> (7th ed. (p64). Retrieved from Vital Source Bookshelf<\/p>\n