Who founded the environmental theory?

• A. Florence Nightingale
• B. Virginia Henderson
• C. Dorothea Orem
• D. Hildegard Peplau

Answer: (A)

The environmental theory centers on how a patient’s surroundings influence healing. Florence Nightingale argued that nursing should modify the environment to support recovery—consider factors like ventilation and air quality, cleanliness and sanitation, appropriate warmth, adequate lighting, sound control, proper nutrition, and rest. By shaping these conditions, nurses can prevent illness and promote quicker healing, which is why she is credited with founding this theory. The other names are known for different theoretical frameworks—Henderson for helping patients achieve independence in daily living, Orem for self-care deficit theory, and Peplau for interpersonal relations in nursing—so Nightingale is the one associated with the environmental approach.