Running head: THEORY APPLICATION PAPER: OREM’S SELF CARE DEFICIT THEORY
IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 1
Theory Application Paper: Orem’s Self Care Deficit Theory in Emergency Department
NU-500-7B: Theoretical Foundations for Nursing
, THEORY APPLICATION PAPER: OREM’S SELF CARE DEFICIT THEORY IN
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 2
Emergency department (ED) nurses are responsible for education during the discharge
process. ED nurses must have a positive attitude about patient education and health promotion
in order to communicate to the patient and caregivers at the level they can understand. Health
promotion and prevention is essential with the prevalence of increased aging population and
increased health care cost. How and why nurses educate depends on the need, the audience, and
the situation; therefore, nurses need to be properly prepared to be able to deliver education at any
time (McEwen, 2019).
Nurses in the ED are often caring for many patients in short amounts of time. Everyday
encounters at the ED includes handling a variety of cases of medical and trauma cases. From a
minor injury to large trauma cases and medical emergencies, the nurse is often running from
event to event to care for patients. Utilizing Orem’s Self-Care deficit theory (SCDT) in the ED,
allows the nurse to care for the patient wholly compensatory, partly compensatory, and
supportive-educative (Petiprin, 2016). Orem’s SCDT states that when there is a self-care deficit,
educating the patient will bring them back to a self-care state (Orem, 1997).
With regards to education, the nurse in the ED can often cut corners in order to meet
demands from management to move the patient out, in order to receive a new patient (Devinney,
2014). Patients seeking medical attention come to the ED with mixed emotions and thoughts.
Because of the fast paced, rapid turnover of patients with a chaotic atmosphere, perception of
care is lower, and patient education is not received as well (Devinney, 2014). The nurse has little
time to build relationships that help foster self-care, leaving patients feeling frustrated and
confused how to care for themselves when they leave the hospital.
IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 1
Theory Application Paper: Orem’s Self Care Deficit Theory in Emergency Department
NU-500-7B: Theoretical Foundations for Nursing
, THEORY APPLICATION PAPER: OREM’S SELF CARE DEFICIT THEORY IN
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 2
Emergency department (ED) nurses are responsible for education during the discharge
process. ED nurses must have a positive attitude about patient education and health promotion
in order to communicate to the patient and caregivers at the level they can understand. Health
promotion and prevention is essential with the prevalence of increased aging population and
increased health care cost. How and why nurses educate depends on the need, the audience, and
the situation; therefore, nurses need to be properly prepared to be able to deliver education at any
time (McEwen, 2019).
Nurses in the ED are often caring for many patients in short amounts of time. Everyday
encounters at the ED includes handling a variety of cases of medical and trauma cases. From a
minor injury to large trauma cases and medical emergencies, the nurse is often running from
event to event to care for patients. Utilizing Orem’s Self-Care deficit theory (SCDT) in the ED,
allows the nurse to care for the patient wholly compensatory, partly compensatory, and
supportive-educative (Petiprin, 2016). Orem’s SCDT states that when there is a self-care deficit,
educating the patient will bring them back to a self-care state (Orem, 1997).
With regards to education, the nurse in the ED can often cut corners in order to meet
demands from management to move the patient out, in order to receive a new patient (Devinney,
2014). Patients seeking medical attention come to the ED with mixed emotions and thoughts.
Because of the fast paced, rapid turnover of patients with a chaotic atmosphere, perception of
care is lower, and patient education is not received as well (Devinney, 2014). The nurse has little
time to build relationships that help foster self-care, leaving patients feeling frustrated and
confused how to care for themselves when they leave the hospital.
