Reconceptualizing the environment of the individual with a chronic mental illness

The individual with a chronic illness frequently experiences a variety of environmental settings throughout the illness and treatment process. Although it is congruent with current nursing theory development to view environment in a broad context, nurses may fail to appreciate the continuity of environments experienced by their clients. This article argues for a reconceptualization of the environment that explicitly considers the continuity of environments experienced by the client with a chronic mental illness. This will assist nurses in determining the supportive and nonsupportive aspects of their clients' environments.