200 years of Florence Nightingale: contributions to the professional practice of nurses in hospitals

Rev Bras Enferm. 2020 Nov 16;73(suppl 5):e20200179. doi: 10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0179. eCollection 2020.
[Article in English, Portuguese]

Abstract

Objective: Analyze the agreement of nurses, who work in hospital institutions, about Florence Nightingale's conceptions about nursing, people, health and the environment.

Method: Quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study, with the participation of 3,451 nurses from 36 Portuguese hospitals. Data collection took place from July 2015 to March 2016, using a questionnaire. For analysis, descriptive and analytical statistics were used.

Results: It was evident that 60% to 70% of participating nurses considered that Florence Nightingale's conceptions of nursing, person, health and environment were partly in agreement or totally in agreement with their practice. The variables that influenced agreement were: service, condition in which they practice the profession, length of professional practice, academic degree and region of the country.

Conclusion: Florence Nightingale's conceptions continue to contribute to professional nursing practice, with the region and the service significantly influencing this continuity.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • History of Nursing
  • History, 19th Century
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Nurses*
  • Portugal
  • Professional Practice*