NUR 502 Topic 5 Discussion Question 2

NUR 502 Topic 5 Discussion Question 2 Select three theories and compare the definition of person/human being. Comment regarding which definition best fits with your own thinking Meeting client’s needs are important in nursing theories. Research throughout the years and the different views from theorists have helped shape what we as nurses today see human needs as. Virginia Henderson defined the patient as “someone who needs nursing care, but did not limit nursing to illness care” (McEwen & Wills, 2014). Henderson’s focus was on ensuring that a patient is as independent as possible, so that when they leave the hospital they can continue to progress. As a result, Henderson created 14 components to help a patient toward independence. She did not limit the focus to just physiological needs, she looked at a patient holistically including their social, spiritual and psychological needs. Based on Dorothy Johnson’s view: “the concept of human was defined as a behavioral system that strives to make continual adjustments to achieve, maintain, or regain balance to the steady state that is adaptation” (McEwen & Wills, 2014). Johnson created seven behavioral systems, which is broken down into structural characteristics and an imbalance in each system would cause disequilibrium (Petiprin, 2016). Johnson teaches that the nurse’s role is to maintain this balance in each patient. Keeping in mind the internal and external factors. Betty Neuman “defined human beings as a ‘client/client systems a composite of variables (physiological, psychological, sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual), each of which is a subpart of all parts…forms the whole of the client’” (McEwen &Wills, 2014). Neuman created a model for teaching total person approach to patient problems (Petiprin, 2016). Neuman’s theory teaches that, a human being is a total person as a client system and the person is a layered, multidimensional being (Petiprin, 2016). Her theory is seen from a holistic perspective. The definition that best fits my own thinking is the one from Neuman because her theory is comprehensive and flexible. Neuman’s system model is seen as universal in nature, which allows it to be fitting to a variety of situations (Petiprin, 2016). Neuman’s theory can be used in any area of nursing, whereas some theories can only be used in a specific area of nursing; her theory can be looked at from different angles. Because I work in public health and hospital, I see patients in different settings, with complicated problems, and me seeing my patient holistically based on Neumans definition, allows me to be more effective when caring for patients. I can then make more adequate care plans, looking at every case more broadly, because I would make sure to tackle every area concerning’s patient needs and not just their illness. References McEwen, M., & Wills, E.M. (2014). Theoretical basis for nursing (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.