Which factor is essential for promoting health and well-being in nursing practice?

Promoting health and well-being in nursing practice fundamentally relies on the therapeutic management of environments. This means that nurses actively create and maintain settings that foster healing and support the physical, emotional, and social needs of patients. A therapeutic environment considers factors such as safety, comfort, and supportive interactions, all of which are crucial for recovery and overall well-being.

In nursing practice, the ability to manipulate the environment includes assessing the patient’s surroundings, ensuring that they promote healing, and responding to needs that may change over time. This concept aligns with holistic care principles, where the entire context of a patient’s situation—including psychological and social factors—affects their health outcomes.

While independent decision-making, strict adherence to protocols, and personal beliefs about medicine can play roles in nursing, they do not directly create an environment conducive to health. Independent decision-making may lead to personalized care, but it is the environment that patients are in that can have a more immediate effect on their recovery process. Similarly, while following protocols is crucial for safe practice, it might limit flexibility in addressing individual patient needs. Personal beliefs about medicine can influence a nurse’s approach but do not ensure that the environment is supportive of health and well-being.

Thus, the therapeutic management of environments is central