Nursing Theory

Nursing theory is taught in most nursing schools, yet, do you know which model you practice under?

Understanding nursing theory and models of care may help you regain a focus on your nursing career.

I have visited several chat rooms where participants were grappling with the question as to whether they were actually using any of the models of care they had studied in school. Perhaps 1/3 believed they were consciously using a specific model and many others had never given thought to this once graduated from school.

The realities of the profession today with such issues as long work hours and too many patients has perhaps taken away our focus on where patient care really belongs.

...in the forefront of our thoughts.

For those of you struggling to find reason to remain in the profession, perhaps a refocus on the theories of why we do what we do may help.

I have listed the theories below, plus provided you with a link to a book you might find useful. If you have access to a "Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary" you will find they are listed there, each with a brief description.

Care to chat about nursing theories here on this site? Scroll down to the bottom of this page and use the form to share insights around any nursing theory you find yourself practicing under.

Having problems seeing the realities of theories and models in everyday practice? Why not share some thoughts on this too.



The early fore runners

Florence Nightingales' is well known to all nursing students I think. Born in Florence, Italy in 1820 she is responsible for bringing the nursing profession "up" in recognition as a worthy and vital profession for women. She has been called one of the major forerunners of nursing theory.
Though her thoughts on how germs originated may not have been exact, she was quite correct in how to prevent infection. She new that the environment played a role in an individuals state of health. She had strong influence on hospital planning and organization which greatly reduced illness and death to to transmission of infections.
Her book, "Notes on Nursing: What it is Not" is well worth reading.

Virginia Henderson is best known for her Definition of Nursing. Born in 1897 and died in 1996 she wrote several issues of "Principles and Practice of Nursing Care". She was also one of the first to point out that nursing involved more than just following doctors' orders.

Nursing Theories / Models of Care

Dorothy Johnson: Behavioral System Model

Imogene King: General Systems Framework

Myra Levine: Conservation Model

Betty Newman: Systems Model

Dorothea Orem: Self-Care Framework

Martha Roger: Science of Unitary Human Beings

Callista Roy: Adaptation Model

Helen Erickson, Evelyn Tomlin, Mary Ann Swain: Thoery of Modeling and Role Modeling

Madeleine Leininger: Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality

Margaret Newman: Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness

Ida Jean Orlando: Theory of the Deliberative Nursing Process

Rosemarie Parse: Theory of Human Becoming

Nola Pender: Health Promotion Model

Hildegard Peplau: Theory of Interpersonal Relations

Reva Rubin: Theory of Clinical Nursing

Jean Watson: Theory of Human Caring

What is your favorite nursing theory? Do you consciously use it in your nursing practice?

Who is your favorite theorist?

Have an idea for a new nursing theory of practice? Why not share it here and get feed back.