Nursing Theories Are Views And Beliefs Developed By Nurses

Virginia Henderson is famous for her definition of nursing, “The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible" (Blais, 2012). Her philosophy supports that caring is the foundation, the center of all patient healing.

Since the beginning of nursing as a profession, Nightingale made us look at the environment as an integral part of the healing process. Many theorists after her expanded upon this aspect, none so adamantly as Martha E. Rogers. Rogers elaborates on the holistic approach with her conceptual model/theory. Rogers’ science of unitary human beings is an indispensable research tool that relates to all South University Framework Pillars. Its historical significance only validates its invaluable quality. Rogers’ ideas are still functional today through the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education professional core competencies, care plans, clinical application, current individualized healthcare, and healthcare of populations.

The caring, supportive, sympathetic features of nursing, is immeasurable. Theories are essential to have. They provide a description of what nurses do and give meaning and purpose. When nursing theories are developed this new knowledge can greatly impact the future of nursing practice (McCrae, 2012).

Nursing theories have been a fundamental tool used to explain, guide and improve the practice of nursing. Theorists have contributed enormously to the growth of nursing as a profession. The four grand theorists I chose are Virginia Henderson, Peplau, Myra Levine and Jean Watson. These theorists have contributed tremendously in the field of nursing through their theories, and research. One thing the theorists have in common is that they are patient centered. They are all concerned on ways we can improve our responsibility to the patients, their families and the environment. They have different ideas but they are all aiming towards achieving the same goal, which is patient satisfaction and safety. Their differences are in their areas of

The profession of nursing has, in recent years, been trying to further develop, test and use proposed nursing theory. To utilize theory appropriately, in all domains of practice, education and research, it is important to know how to describe, analyze and evaluate

The purpose of the nursing theories is to provide an interrelating framework focusing on the nursing practice. The defined nursing theories promote better patient care, improve the status of nursing profession, and improve the communication between the nurses, and provide guidance to the researches and education (Keefe, 2011). Not all nursing theories have the same meanings; however, they play the important role of explaining the key concepts and principles of nursing practice in understanding way.

The benefits of having a defined frame of theory in nursing produces superior patient care, heightened professional repute for nurses, progressed interaction among nurses, and direction for exploration of the practice and education. Theories also illustrate the quality of the nursing profession, and serves as a reservoir of knowledge with the examination of the essential requirements of patients and necessary interventions. In addition, specialized rationales are provided. Succeeding medical doctors orders are not exclusively to the context of nursing care.

21st century nursing is an evolving, rewarding, but challenging occupation. Unlike nurses in the past, the modern nurse's role is not limited to the physician's assistant, but rather takes on a critical partnership role with both doctor and patient. This role is multicimensional: advocate, caregiver, teacher, researcher, counselor, translator, and case manager. Of course, care is of the upmost importance and includes those activities that assist the client physically mentally and emotionally. This requires a holistic approach to the patient as a person, not a disease, number or statistic. Ironically, the idea of holism in health care is not a new philosophy, but one advocated by Florence Nightengale in the early 19th century. Ever more important today, it focuses on promoting health and wellness, advocating for the patient, assisting healing and preventing suffering clearly a theory of nursing care (Tourville & Ingalls, 2003).

Virginia Henderson, one of many nursing theorists, is the one who has defined nursing as “the unique function to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of contributing to health and recovery or to peaceful death with having the necessary strength, will, and knowledge” (Eichelberger & Sitzman, 2011, p. 35). Virginia Henderson applied skills to help the individual gain knowledge as quickly as possible (Eichelberger & Sitzman, 2011, p. 35). Henderson was able to express her views in order to explain the importance of following a patient's chart and the plan of care for the patient’s overall health. Henderson defined fourteen components of basic needs for nursing care, that I one day hope to provide to my own patient. I am

The importance of nursing theory to practice of nursing should not be overlooked or underrated. That is because, it’s understanding and application are essential in enhancing patient 's care, improving communication between nurses, providing education’ and guidance in research, (Robert T. Croyle (2005). It is equally important to know that currently, there are many theories that guide the practice of nursing. Two of the most prominent ones will be compared and will form the subject of this this discussion.

Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed

Margaret Newman in her theory on health as expanding consciousness utilized the three paradigms of nursing, e.g., person, nurse, and environment. HEC establishes a connection between the nurse and the person through caring. Thus, the concept of caring in nursing was described by Vandermark, 2006) as a key component of HEC. Initially, HEC’s primary concerns were those who suffered from a disease or had disability. In the nurse’s interaction with her sick client, both nurse and patient enter into a healing relationship with each other. For the nurse, health as an expanding consciousness is to be present in the lives of her patient, seek to understand and know what is meaningful in their lives, and

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING A. ENVIRONMENTAL THEORY “I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.” Florence Nightingale (1860) Florence Nightingale defined Nursing as “the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery” (1860/1969), that it involves the nurse's initiative to configure environmental settings appropriate for the gradual restoration of the patient's health, and that external factors associated with the patient's surroundings affect life or biologic and physiologic processes, and his development. Environmental Factors Affecting Health Defined in her environmental theory are the following factors

Nursing theorist Virginia Henderson (1897-1996), often referred to as the “First Lady of Nursing”, developed a nursing model based on the 14 components of activities of daily living. The paper discusses the importance of applying these components to the nursing practice. She emphasized the importance of increasing the patient’s independence so that progress after hospitalization would not be delayed (Henderson 1991). Henderson’s Theory and the main concepts are discussed using a case study approach on a specific client to better explore the theory and how it influenced the nursing practice. Henderson’s principles and practices of Nursing laid a ground work for

Theory itself refers to a basic framework, of the nursing profession (Chamberlain College of Nursing, 2017). It is a set of concepts, definitions, relationships, and assumptions that help identify the unique qualities of the nursing profession. Nursing is complex profession and ever changing field, I feel that nursing theory is necessary to guide and provides us with justification behind the care that we provide. Nursing is an evolving profession, an academic discipline, and a science (McEwen, 2014). Theory acts as core pillar of nursing profession as it fundamental value of clinical performance with the profession. Nurses have the scientific knowledge to apply to their profession, individualized interventions to promote health, prevent diseases and care for acutely ill patients.