Key Nursing Theories and Theorists: A Concise Review

Florence Nightingale:

Pioneer of modern nursing, first to use terms related to the environment. 6 Basic Needs: ventilation, temperature, illumination, diet, hygiene, noise

Nursing:

Responsibility for the health care of others.

Virginia Henderson:

Identified 14 basic needs of patients. The nurse-patient relationship can be as a substitute, assistant, or companion.

Nurse-Patient Relationship Dynamics:

• Doctor-patient relationship
• Team-patient relationship

Nursing:

Helping sick or healthy individuals with activities that contribute to health, recovery, or a peaceful death.

Callista Roy (Adaptation Model):

Considers the patient as a system with goals. Health is addressed through nursing activities.

Adapting to 4 Basic Needs:

• Basic physiological needs
• Self-image
• Domain role or role function
• Interdependence

Nursing:

Applying theoretical knowledge in care when a person loses energy.

Person:

A bio-psycho-social being in constant relationship with the environment.

Health:

Process of adaptation in maintaining physical, social, and psychological integrity.

Martha Rogers (Unitary Human Being):

Based on four blocks: energy field, universe of systems, open systems, and four-dimensionality.

Person:

An irreducible whole; humans are energy fields in constant dynamic exchange with the environment.

Nursing:

A humanitarian science that maintains and promotes good health and assists the sick.

Health:

Well-being, a value defined by the person within their culture.

Environment:

The person and the environment are constantly exchanging situations and energy.

Betty Neuman (Systems Model):

Influenced mental health nursing, using Selye's stress concept.

Client:

A system (person or family) composed of five variables (physiological, psychological, sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual) interacting with the environment.

Health:

A continuous flow of well-being or disease.

Nursing:

An active participant with the client, concerned with variables affecting stressors.

Environment:

Internal and external factors affecting the system.

Dorothy Johnson (Behavioral System Model):

Nursing focused on human behavior rather than biology.

Person:

A structured behavioral system divided into parts that form a whole.

Environment:

Interaction of external factors influencing the behavioral system.

Health:

Achieving a dynamic state of balance across all systems.

Nursing:

An external force to protect and maintain balance in a stable environment.

7 Subsystems Described by Dorothy Johnson:

• Affiliative
• Dependency
• Ingestive
• Eliminative
• Sexual
• Aggressive
• Achievement

Balance is achieved through the coordination of these 7 subsystems.

Dorothea Orem (Self-Care Deficit Theory):

This model asserts that the nurse can use five methods of assistance:

• Acting for and doing for
• Guiding
• Teaching
• Supporting
• Providing a developmental environment

Person:

A biological organism capable of rational thinking and reflection on experiences to perform self-care actions.

Health:

Absence of physical, structural, and functional defects that lead to deterioration.

Nursing:

Professional assistance providing direct self-care as needs change.