Running head: VIRGINIA HENDERSON 1
VIRGINIA HENDERSON: HENDERSON’S THEORY
Name
[Institutional Affiliation(s)]
, VIRGINIA HENDERSON 2
Virginia Henderson played multiple roles within the nursing sector during the 20 th century
and is remembered for both her work as a professional nurse, and other fields related to nursing.
These fields included being an author, a theorist as well as a researcher in the field of nursing.
The combination of these different perspectives of Henderson made her stand out in the medical
sector due to her extensive passion in the field of nursing and her profession as a nurse in the
medical sector. Beginning her career as a nurse educator in 1924 at the Norfolk protestant
hospital in Virginia before later on pursuing her studies and attaining her degree and masters
degree in Nursing by the year 1934 which further enabled her to progress with her teaching at
Columbia University.
Her sixteen years of experience in teaching and practicing nursing gave her a wide
amount of experience which reflected in her work especially in (1939) fourth edition of the
harmer textbook which she was requested to write by Macmillan publishing company. A book
that would be later on accepted by the nursing community in the 20 th century and used widely
across America. The book showed vast experience and knowledge in regards to patients and the
roles of a nurse to their patients which would later be reflected in Henderson’s Theory.
Henderson’s theory states that “The unique function of the nurse is to assist the
individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to their health or their
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” (Henderson, 1978) As per the deeper understanding of the theory, and Henderson’s
view of whom a nurse is, it was clearly evident that a nurse was more of a helper a care giver not
only to the sick patient but also to the well person who was in need of attaining a health goal or
journey. The theory had greater emphasis on helping one attain health despite their lack of
VIRGINIA HENDERSON: HENDERSON’S THEORY
Name
[Institutional Affiliation(s)]
, VIRGINIA HENDERSON 2
Virginia Henderson played multiple roles within the nursing sector during the 20 th century
and is remembered for both her work as a professional nurse, and other fields related to nursing.
These fields included being an author, a theorist as well as a researcher in the field of nursing.
The combination of these different perspectives of Henderson made her stand out in the medical
sector due to her extensive passion in the field of nursing and her profession as a nurse in the
medical sector. Beginning her career as a nurse educator in 1924 at the Norfolk protestant
hospital in Virginia before later on pursuing her studies and attaining her degree and masters
degree in Nursing by the year 1934 which further enabled her to progress with her teaching at
Columbia University.
Her sixteen years of experience in teaching and practicing nursing gave her a wide
amount of experience which reflected in her work especially in (1939) fourth edition of the
harmer textbook which she was requested to write by Macmillan publishing company. A book
that would be later on accepted by the nursing community in the 20 th century and used widely
across America. The book showed vast experience and knowledge in regards to patients and the
roles of a nurse to their patients which would later be reflected in Henderson’s Theory.
Henderson’s theory states that “The unique function of the nurse is to assist the
individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to their health or their
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” (Henderson, 1978) As per the deeper understanding of the theory, and Henderson’s
view of whom a nurse is, it was clearly evident that a nurse was more of a helper a care giver not
only to the sick patient but also to the well person who was in need of attaining a health goal or
journey. The theory had greater emphasis on helping one attain health despite their lack of
