Introduction
Many theorists have considered the issue of adaptation and the aspects that are either beneficial or detrimental to patient’s successful progression. Notably, various concepts have been developed, and each of them views this process from different angles. The purpose of this paper is to review one of the main adaptation theories and to analyze my personal experience in terms of the process of transition.
Comparison
It should be noted that modeling and role-modeling theory is a comprehensive approach towards the process of patient adaptation to a new setting, state or condition. It embodies middle-range theories that were proposed earlier; for that reason, it is rather difficult to state which concepts is different from it due to the fact that the approach entangles the core of many similar theories (Fawcett & DeSanto-Madeya, 2012). Nevertheless, the main similarities with other definitions of adaptations include the fact that almost all of them consider people, setting, health, and care and their interconnectedness. All of them are interactive in character; however, role-modeling theory implies that the healthcare specialist evaluates, outlines, and intervenes in accordance with patient’s perceptions of the world and the environment.
Nevertheless, modeling and role-modeling theory is holistic while some other concepts might concentrate on specific domains. For instance, Roy’s adaptation theory states that focal stimulus is the aspect that should be paid particular attention in the course of adaptation (Masters, 2014). According to the theorist, there are four main adaptation modes, which are “physiological, self-concept, role function, and interdependence” (Fawcett & DeSanto-Madeya, 2012, p. 280). Meanwhile, the first model views all the modes in a comprehensive manner.
Individual Experience
Regarding my personal experience, one of the critical transitions that I have faced is connected to the need to quit sport after I had a spinal compression fracture. It occurred at the moment when my sports career was progressing rapidly, and the hopes of becoming a professional sportsperson were high. After the traumatic event, I was almost completely immobilized for quite a while and required both nursing and social support. Thus, it was a health/illness transition, which occurred due to the spinal injury. The transition process had three main stages, which were recovery, discharge from the hospital, and a chronic condition after the course of treatment (Masters, 2014). The pattern of the transition was simultaneous due to the fact that after the injury I was no longer able to do sport as intensely as it was required for a professional athlete. The complex nature of this progression has caused certain complications in the health status. For example, apart from constant pains in the back, I was suffering from depressive moods, especially during the first six months after the hospital discharge.
Progressing Towards Healthy Transition
Notably, the transition conditions have influenced me both negatively and positively. The superfluous care and attention from the side of my family have hindered the progress toward achieving a healthy transition in the very beginning. My parents stressed my deteriorated health and poor mobility, thus, influencing my mental stability and well-being. Nevertheless, the nursing support and comfortable setting inside the healthcare institution have facilitated the progress. To be more precise, the nurse educated me on the safe practices and provided recommendations on how to improve my health status, and the facilities were located conveniently so that it was rather easy to access them with the help of special equipment. Therefore, depending on each case, certain aspects might either hinder or promote a faster progression towards the healthy transition of a patient.
References
Fawcett, J., & DeSanto-Madeya, S. (2012). Contemporary nursing knowledge. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Masters, K. (2014). Nursing theories. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.