Introduction
The nursing profession must adapt to the rapidly changing healthcare environment. A theoretical framework that can direct nursing practice is essential for such adaptation. I have picked Roy’s Adaptation Model (RAM) to complete the task of rebuilding a nursing theory. Callista Roy designed RAM, a well-known nursing theory highlighting nursing care’s comprehensive and adaptable character. RAM is an excellent foundation for developing and incorporating advanced nursing roles within the nursing profession. For this assignment, I will assume Callista Roy’s persona to develop, test, and assess her nursing theory.
Stages in the Development of Roy’s Adaptation Model
First Stage: Theorizing
As theorist Callista Roy, I would like to present a thorough historical background that informed the creation of RAM. My adaptation model was first developed in 1964 as a graduate student at Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles (Alligood, 2021, p. 248). The main influences for developing the fundamental components of my model were the systems theory outlined by von Bertalanffy and the work of physiological psychologist Harry Helson, who created an adaptation-level theory (Butts & Rich, 2021). Based on those principles and my professional experiences in pediatric nursing and neurological nursing, I developed RAM to provide a framework for understanding the factors contributing to adaptive behavior.
Nursing is a profession that focuses on the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health by helping individuals adapt to changes in their environment. Nursing is not just about caring for patients or providing medical treatment but also about understanding the individual and adapting to their unique needs (Butts & Rich, 2021). Nursing knowledge focuses on how people engage with their environments, whether ill or not, to promote well-being and flourishing.
My adaptation model highlights the importance of adaptation in human beings’ lives. Adaptation is the process and result by which people and groups integrate with their surroundings through deliberate actions (Butts & Rich, 2021). As a result, the focus of my model is the individual.
Second Stage: Syntax
I established the critical components of RAM: adaptation, person, environment, and health. A person is an adaptive system with internal mechanisms working to preserve its integrity. I broadened the idea of the “person” and incorporated groups into the adaptive systems paradigm (Butts & Rich, 2021). My theory’s key ideas evolved, and I added to them as I learned more about adaptation and how it affects people.
Nurses combine specific knowledge from the applied sciences to create plans for people’s health promotion and sickness management. As such, I developed the concept of adaptive systems, which incorporates stimuli, adaptation degree, and behavior (Butts & Rich, 2021). The three conditions of the human adaptive system that make up the adaptability level are integrated, compensatory, and compromised (Butts & Rich, 2021). A person and their environment constantly interact, and nursing should encourage their adaptation to their surroundings to attain optimal health.
Third Stage: Theory Testing
A recent study evaluated RAM’s efficacy in reducing the burden of care for moms of children undergoing chemotherapy and having cancer. The survey by Hatami and Hojjati (2019) examined how RAM affected mothers of children receiving chemotherapy regarding the care load. Independent t-test results showed that after the intervention, there was a significant difference in the mean care load between the experimental and control groups (Hatami & Hojjati, 2019). Based on these findings, implementing the RAM-based care program is a successful, inexpensive, and non-invasive nursing intervention for moms of cancer-affected children.
Another study that has tested and validated my theory is a systematic review of articles. The survey by Hosseini and Soltanian (2022) aimed to assess how well RAM-based nursing care performed for patients with chronic illnesses. The review demonstrated that patients with chronic conditions exhibited more physically and psychologically adapted behaviors after using treatment programs based on RAM (Hosseini & Soltanian, 2022). This aligns with my idea that people are adaptive systems interacting steadily with their internal and external environments while undergoing constant change and adaptation.
Fourth Stage: Evaluation
Currently, RAM is applied in various healthcare settings to enhance patient outcomes. For instance, the randomized controlled trial by Lök et al. (2020) is designed to determine how cognitive stimulation therapy based on RAM affects the quality of life of Alzheimer’s patients. After the measurements, the study found that the experimental group’s level of cognitive function was much greater than that of the control group, and their quality of life was also significantly higher (Lök et al., 2020). I am happy to find that this study supports the efficacy of RAM. Moreover, RAM has been used as a framework for developing care plans.
Another study used my model to examine how a RAM-based care plan affected hemodialysis patients’ overall health (Nobahar et al., 2020). According to the study, there was a significant difference between the general health levels of the intervention and control groups (Nobahar et al., 2020). As such, RAM may be utilized as a comprehensive strategy to care for hemodialysis patients, which can significantly impact their general wellness.
Finally, RAM has been applied in cardiology. An article by Mansouri et al. (2019) sought to ascertain how an educational program built on RAM affected their quality of life. The intervention group outperformed the control group over time in terms of physiology, role function, and independence-interdependence (Mansouri et al., 2019). Additionally, there was a considerable rise in the overall quality of life (Mansouri et al., 2019). Thus, nursing staff can apply RAM as a routine procedure to enhance the quality of life for heart failure patients.
These studies demonstrate that RAM can be applied to different healthcare practices, significantly improving patient outcomes. However, it is crucial to consider a few typical theory evaluation questions when evaluating my hypothesis. The first question concerns whether my theory is logically sound and internally consistent. RAM offers a conceptual framework that logically and consistently connects essential ideas, including adaptation, stimuli, coping mechanisms, and adaptive modes.
Another potential question is whether reliable empirical data support the theory. As can be seen from the examples discussed above, my theory has been practically verified, proven valid, and trustworthy. It has been demonstrated that the theory is relevant in various clinical settings and has been successfully applied to multiple demographics, such as hemodialysis patients or Alzheimer’s patients. The findings of studies employing RAM have consistently backed the theory’s predictions.
The final question is whether the theory is relevant and practical. In many nursing interventions, including patient education, RAM has been used to improve patient outcomes, such as quality of life. Nurses and healthcare professionals can use my model to develop holistic care plans tailored to the individual patient’s needs, thus improving their quality of life and overall health.
Conclusion
Ultimately, RAM is an excellent foundation for building on and integrating advanced nursing responsibilities into the nursing profession since it emphasizes nursing care’s holistic and adaptive character. Assuming Callista Roy’s persona, I have supplied the historical background that affected the creation of RAM and its key components. I have also provided examples of studies that have tested and validated the theory and its practical applications. From this, it follows that RAM is a helpful framework for directing and informing nursing practice.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2021). Nursing theorists and their work (10th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2021). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Hatami, F., & Hojjati, H. (2019). Effect of Roy’s Adaptation Model on the care burden of mothers of children under chemotherapy in Gorgan in 2018: A quasi-experimental study. Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal, 8(1). Web.
Hosseini, M., & Soltanian, M. (2022). Application of Roy’s Adaptation Model in clinical nursing: A systematic review. Journal of Iranian Medical Council, 5(4), 540–556. Web.
Lök, N., Buldukoğlu, K., & Barcin, E. (2020). Effects of the cognitive stimulation therapy based on Roy’s Adaptation Model on Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive functions, coping‐adaptation skills, and quality of life: A randomized controlled trial. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 56(3), 581–592. Web.
Mansouri, A., Baraz, S., Elahi, N., Malehi, A. S., & Saberipour, B. (2019). The effect of an educational program based on Roy’s Adaptation Model on the quality of life of patients suffering from heart failure: A clinical trial study. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 16(4), 459–467. Web.
Nobahar, M., Saffari, M., Babamohamadi, H., Sotodehasl, N., & Mirmohammadkhani, M. (2020). The effect of a care plan based on the Roy Adaptation Model on general health in hemodialysis patients; a randomized controlled clinical trial. Journal of Renal Injury Prevention, 9(2). Web.