Introduction
Nursing theories dictate the nature and quality of medical services available to different patients. A nursing theory is a general assumption informed by different concepts and definitions with the aim of improving care delivery. Practitioners use specific theories to explain emerging phenomena and offer adequate health support. Such models merge concepts, metaparadigms, and ideas in an attempt to describe and predict health outcomes. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Theory and explains how it can be applied in nursing practice. Nurse practitioners can embrace the theory to meet the diverse needs of patients who are in need of critical care and support. The paper begins by describing the importance of nursing theory and its relevance in healthcare. A summary of Orem’s theory of nursing will also be presented. The next part of the paper will present a discussion of how Orem’s Self-Care Theory can be utilized by nurse practitioners to deliver commendable care to their patients. The conclusion will summarize the paper and offer self-reflection regarding the lessons gained from the exercise.
Discussion
Nursing theory gives a detailed guideline that can be utilized by different stakeholders in healthcare to maximize patients’ outcomes. Professionals who use various theories address medical problems much faster and achieve meaningful results in areas such as nursing leadership, education, and practice (Karnick, 2014). When different models are applied efficiently, it becomes possible to meet the changing health needs of diverse populations. That being the case, nursing theory is a field that must be included in a master’s program. The targeted learners require appropriate competencies in order to deliver high-quality care. Nursing theory is, therefore, a necessary tool that ensures every objective in the profession is met. Nurses who understand various theories will apply them efficiently in different settings to maximize patients’ outcomes. Every program should be characterized by the study of nursing theory.
Similarly, nursing theory is meaningful to the nursing profession because it provides the best framework for addressing emerging medical needs. Competent practitioners in the field will identify and implement the right theories depending on the nature of the existing situation. Nurses who use such theories will develop superior philosophies and transform their patients’ experiences (White, 2016). Nursing theory can also be used to separate the profession from other healthcare fields. For instance, nursing theory becomes an exemplar through which personalized, evidence-based, and culturally competent services are delivered to diverse populations. A competent nurse understands how different assumptions and metaparadigms are applied depending on the patient’s condition (Karnick, 2014). This means that other healthcare professions do no depend on nursing theory to offer personalized care. Instead, such fields focus on convergent concepts aimed at transforming various healthcare practices. The use of theory ensures that the profession resonates with the changing health needs of every individual, thereby differentiating nursing from every other field.
Unfortunately, there are specific concerns regarding the application of nursing theory within the profession. The outstanding issue is that nursing theories are defined by specific concepts, notions, and assumptions that will be interpreted differently by practitioners. Consequently, different professionals might not agree on the best approach to utilize a given theory (White, 2016). This issue explains why nurses must develop adequate personal philosophies and reduce any form of bias throughout the healthcare delivery process.
Summary of Selected Nursing Theory
The Self-Care Theory was developed by Dorothea Orem in 1971 (Afrasiabifar, Mehri, Sadat, & Shirazi, 2016). The grand theory was originally published in the book “Nursing: Concepts of Practice”. The model was revised in 1980, 1995, and 2001. The latest edition of the theory indicates that nursing is a system aimed at providing self-care and re-patterning patients’ experiences. The theory contains various concepts that guide nurses to empower their followers and patients. The first one is that of nursing. This concept is defined as an art, a technology, and a helping process (Mills, Wand, & Fraser, 2015). The ultimate goal of nursing, according to Orem, is to meet the self-care needs of both family members and patients. Health is a state of being whereby living things are functionally and structurally sound. The environment consists of enthronement elements, conditions, and factors. A nursing problem refers to any deficit in development or universal health (Mills et al., 2015). Nursing process is a concept focusing on these three elements: why a patient is receiving medical care, the best plan for care delivery, and implementation of the plan. Nursing therapeutics refers to a purposeful and deliberate action to deliver exemplary care.
Orem’s theory gives a detailed description of each of the four metaparadigms of nursing. The metaparadigm of person is defined as a unit capable of functioning socially, symbolically, and biologically. The unit is capable of reflecting and using symbols. The environment focuses on components such as enthronement factors and conditions. This metaparadigm guides practitioners to understand the emerging or changing needs of patients. Health is used to describe the ability of living things to function in a sound manner (Mills et al., 2015). Nursing in an art or technology performed to ensure patients meet their self-care need needs and eventually regain their normal health states.
Medical practitioners can use Orem’s theory to address the health needs of their patients. The theory guides professionals to understand why specific individuals require quality care and design the best approaches to achieve positive results. This understanding explains why the theory has been selected for this paper. The concepts and attributes of the theory explain why the theory is appropriate for the selected Master’s track. Nurse practitioners are trained to offer exemplary services to patients from diverse backgrounds (Afrasiabifar et al., 2016). The framework offers meaningful insights for analyzing patients’ needs, developing superior models, and ensuring that they regain their health states.
Application of Orem’s Theory: Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners complete numerous roles that are aimed at meeting the health needs of diverse populations. Such responsibilities include providing primary patient care, guiding individuals to address their needs, engaging in nursing research, and developing the profession. Orem’s Self-Care Theory is capable of empowering nurse practitioners to ensure their patients maintain the best health conditions (Apay, Capik, Nazik, & Ozdemir, 2015). The model can guide them to perform various operations and activities with the aim of maintaining the integrity of human functioning and structure. This discussion reveals that the theory defines and expands the roles of a nurse practitioner by proposing appropriate action plans that can support patients’ self-care needs. Practitioners who embrace the ideas associated with the theory will achieve their goals much faster.
Several examples can be used to illustrate the above information. The first one is that the theory defines the area of nursing practice. Apay et al. (2015) indicate that nurses should come up with appropriate philosophies in order to offer personalized care to every patient. Orem’s theory views nursing as an art whereby practitioners scan the surrounding environment and develop appropriate models to meet the needs of every individual. The ultimate goal is to re-pattern the experiences of their patients and eventually restore their wellbeing (Afrasiabifar et al., 2016). Similarly, nurse practitioners are equipped with the best theoretical notions that guide them to achieve similar goals.
The second example can be obtained from my personal experience. As a student of nursing, I have identified specific approaches, practices, and concepts that can support my objectives. I have realized that patients are unique and require personalized care. This is true because they come from different environments and religious backgrounds. Nurses should, therefore, be in a position to develop efficient nursing models that resonate with the needs of their respective patients (Afrasiabifar et al., 2016). The objective must be to ensure the individuals take care of themselves. Nurses can also collaborate to deliver quality and efficient care.
Conclusion
The promotion and maintenance of normal human functioning is the ultimate aim of nursing practice. Orem’s Self-Care Theory guides nurse practitioners to analyze the changing health needs of their patients, develop personalized care delivery models, and empower them to engage in self-care. The theory becomes a powerful model for developing better philosophies and upgrading them depending on the changing demands of every patient. Orem asserts that nursing should be a process for establishing the self-care deficits of patients and developing appropriate roles to meet their demands. Practitioners can ensure their practices are coordinated to re-pattern the health statuses of their patients. This analysis has equipped me with new ideas regarding the relevance of theory in the field of nursing. I have known how to utilize various theories depending on the existing settings to achieve my goals as a nurse practitioner. The exercise has revealed that care delivery should be informed by patients’ unique needs. This knowledge will empower me to deliver culturally competent, evidence-based, and quality care to more patients.
References
Afrasiabifar, A., Mehri, Z., Sadat, S. J., & Shirazi, H. R. (2016). The effect of Orem’s Self-Care Model on fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: A single blind randomized clinical trial study. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 18(8), 1-9. Web.
Apay, S. E., Capik, A., Nazik, E., & Ozdemir, F. (2015). The effect of the care given using Orem’s Self-Care Model on the postpartum self- evaluation. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2), 393-403.
Karnick, P. M. (2014). A case for nursing theory in practice. Nursing Science Quarterly, 27(2), 117. Web.
Mills, J., Wand, T., & Fraser, J. A. (2015). On self-compassion and self-care in nursing: Selfish or essential for compassionate care? International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(4), 791-793. Web.
White, M. L. (2016). Spirituality self-care practices as a mediator between quality of life and depression. Religions, 7(54), 1-10. Web.