Cleaning Best Reflects Florence Nightingale's Philosophy
The action that best reflects a healthcare program inspired by Florence Nightingale's philosophy is cleaning (Option C). Florence Nightingale's foundational work emphasized environmental cleanliness as a critical factor in preventing disease spread and reducing mortality, making this the cornerstone of her healthcare philosophy 1.
Historical Foundation
Florence Nightingale's epidemiological investigations, supported by statistician William Farr, demonstrated that attention to environmental cleanliness was an important factor in preventing spread of disease 1. Her philosophy and teachings emphasized creating healing environments through proper environmental management 2. This work directly supported hospital reforms and established the need for educated nurses who could provide better management of the hospital environment 1.
Modern Evidence Supporting Environmental Cleaning
Contemporary evidence strongly validates Nightingale's emphasis on cleaning:
Hospital pathogens contaminate hand-touch sites habitually, which are then delivered to patients on hands 3. Environmental cleaning removes these organisms and is associated with reduced infection rates 3.
Routine cleaning of the patient environment is critical to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections 4. Manual cleaning supplemented with ongoing assessment and feedback represents a feasible approach for healthcare facilities 4.
Structured cleaning interventions improved disinfection rates from 48% to 77% of standardized environmental surfaces across 36 acute care hospitals, without substantial added fiscal commitment 5.
Integration with Current Practice
Modern infection control policies recognize cleaning as fundamental:
Hand hygiene has become the cornerstone of all surgical and infection-control policies 6, directly echoing Nightingale's emphasis on cleanliness since Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis first described hand washing in 1847 6.
Hospital-acquired infections are addressed through standardized cleaning protocols, including placement of soap and hand sanitizer, educational strategies, and monitoring of cleaning behavior 6.
Why Not Patient Satisfaction or Preference
While patient satisfaction and preference are important modern healthcare concepts 6, they represent contemporary quality improvement frameworks rather than Nightingale's core philosophy. Nightingale's work specifically channeled her investigations to support hospital reforms through environmental cleanliness 1, making cleaning the defining characteristic of her healthcare approach.