Constituting three interrelated theories, the nursing system theory, self-care deficit theory, and self-care theory, Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory emphasizes an individual’s ability to conduct self-care. Therefore, the theory is defined as an individual’s own initiated activities that allow them to maintain well-being, health, and life (Akdeniz & Ozer, 2021). The classification of the theory is further subdivided into supportive, partially compensatory, and compensatory-educative. Firstly, the assumptions associated with self-care deficit theory are to remain functional and stay alive since humans engage in connection and constant communication with the environment and themselves (Akdeniz & Ozer, 2021). Secondly, the acting power is deliberately exercised toward making and identifying the necessary judgments. Thirdly, mature people encounter privations in the form of self-care actions, and others are involved in actions associated with function regulation and life-sustaining activities (Akdeniz & Ozer, 2021). Lastly, development, discovery, and transmission are human agency actions responsible for inputs and identifying needs between a person and others.
The application of the theory might occur when patients are motivated to give their best in maintaining self-care despite experiencing periodic illness. The particularity of the application happens in rehabilitation settings, where patients are encouraged to be more independent after being cared for by nurses and practitioners (Akdeniz & Ozer, 2021). Using faces pain scale-revised example where the pain is measured, practitioners estimate hurt sensations using a widely accepted 0-to-10 metric score. Through the scale, physicians can see the existing close linear associations between facial expressions and pain using visual analog pain scales (Young et al., 2018). Used in children between 4 and 16 years, the scale’s absence of tears and smiles is advantageous since the two represent states of sadness and happiness (Young et al., 2018). Instead, the visual pain analog in the children’s photocopied faces is a clear indicator of the level of pain experienced and may range from 0 where the faces show no pain to 10 where the face shows extreme pain.
References
Akdeniz, S., & Ozer, Z. (2021). Effect of planned education based on Orem’s self-care deficit theory on symptom management, self-care power, and health behaviors in the patients diagnosed with heart failure. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 12(28), 100-109.
Young, J. R., Sih, C., Hogg, M. M., Anderson-Montoya, B. L., & Fasano, H. T. (2018). Qualitative assessment of face validity and cross-cultural acceptability of the faces pain scale: “Revised” in Cameroon. Qualitative Health Research, 28(5), 832-843.