Contemporary nursing practice is based on knowledge generated through nursing theories. Flor-ence Nightingale's theory introduced the concept that nursing care focuses on:

Question

1. Psychological needs
2. A maximal level of wellness
3. Health maintenance and restoration
4. Interpersonal interactions with the client

Answer 1

ANS: 3
Florence Nightingale believed the role of the nurse was to put the client's body in the best state in order to remain free of disease or to recover from disease.
Although Florence Nightingale may have addressed meeting the psychological needs of her cli-ents, it is not the focus of her theory. The goal of Nightingale's theory is to facilitate "the body's reparative processes" by manipulating the client's environment.
Florence Nightingale thought the human body had reparative properties of its own if it was cared for in a way to recover from disease. Her theory did not focus on achieving a maximal level of wellness.
Florence Nightingale believed the nurse was in charge of the client's health. Although she inter-acted with her clients by reading to them, her theory of nursing care did not focus upon interper-sonal interactions.