Theory Description
The Behavior System Model of Nursing is well-known and practiced nowadays. It was originally introduced in 1968 by Dorothy Johnson, a professor of nursing at the University of California (McEwen, M., 2018, p.155). The process of creating this framework started in the late 1950s when she investigated the nursing-specific objective of the behavior of patient welfare (McEwen, M., 2018, p.155). The theory is multi-layered since it has systems and subsystems, each having its purpose in characterizing human behavior and finding its weak areas (Mcguiness, 2021, p.156). The behavioral reactions that constitute the subsystems are created and altered during development, exposure, and learning.
Additionally, Johnson borrowed concepts for the theory from other fields, but she changed them and gave them nursing-specific definitions. The concepts of the metaparadigm are clear throughout Johnson’s works (McEwen, M., 2018, p.157). When a patient’s conduct threatens their bodily or mental well-being, nursing is viewed as a regulatory factor that maintains the order of the patient’s condition at an ideal level (McEwen, M., 2018, p.157). Another major concept is the human concept, which is defined as a behavioral system that attempts to preserve or reestablish equilibrium with the stable condition of adaptation.
Johnson discussed how the theory was applied to the behavioral system’s seven subsystems. As these components are integrated and transparent, a problem in one is likely to cause problems in others. Johnson listed three functional needs for people as well: sustenance from the environment, defense against damaging environmental impacts, and stimulus to promote growth (Mcguiness, 2021, p.6). As for the assumptions of the Behavioral System theory, they include assumptions about the system, design, and function (Mcguiness, 2021, p.6). Lastly, the strategy encourages the patient to behave successfully and effectively in order to prevent disease (Anukam, 2021, p.10). In this sense, Johnson discussed how the theory could be used in research and clinical settings by applying the model to seven different behavioral subsystems.
Theory Analysis
The concepts in Johnson’s Behavioral System theory are both theoretically and operationally defined. When it comes to theoretical definitions, the theory of behavioral system, boundaries, function, functional requirements, instability, stability, homeostasis, stressor, structure, system, subsystems, tensions, and variables. In turn, the operational definition allows defining events in terms of processes. For instance, in a study reviewed by McEwen (2018, p.158), children with chronic illnesses chose options based on how supportive, safe, and accessible the setting was. Furthermore, the given concepts are explicit due to their strong connections with each other. The concepts of the theory involve the definition of stability, instability, and stressors, all of which strive to illuminate human behavior and find proper treatments.
The theory is logically organized since the theory is focused on systems and subsystems that influence human behavior. Johnson’s theory claims that the environment has an impact on the behavioral system and that reaction and resistance to environmental cues are determined by the subsystems (Aşkar1 & Ovayolu, 2022, p.138). Both internal and external pressures will have an impact on a person’s composition. It is noteworthy that the Behavioral System Model forms the foundation of the theory and provides clarification. According to the behavioral systems theory, an action is contained in a system’s structure, a verbal model of human conduct. The consequence of the given theory is the disequilibrium that can be caused by an imbalance in each scenario.
Theory Evaluation
The Behavioral Systems Theory of Dorothy Johnson is congruent with current nursing standards. The theory urges the nurse to consider the patient as a behavioral system and to concentrate more on the unwell person than on the sickness itself (Black, 2019, p.155). American Nurses Association claims that the practice of nursing involves judgment and expertise derived from the biological, physical, behavioral, and related fields (American Nurses Association, 2015, p.6). The theory complies with the standards in this way since the nurse practitioner is required to create a plan that details how to achieve specific, quantifiable goals and pay attention to the psychological state of a patient as well.
A patient’s protection and injury prevention are two goals of nursing interventions. In turn, Dorothy Johnson’s theory described nursing as an external regulatory power that works to maintain the entity and integration of the person’s behaviors at an ideal level under circumstances where the behavior poses a risk to the physical or social health of the patient (McEwen, M., 2018, p.158). In this way, the given theory works to protect the patient. As for empirical application, it has a history of being used for various studies. For example, in research on patient outcome evaluation. Poster, Dee, and Randell employed Johnson’s theory as a theoretical model (McEwen, M., 2018, p.157). They discovered that the nursing theory allowed them to both prescribe nursing care and separate it from hospital treatment (McEwen, M., 2018, p.157). Derdiarian and Schobel created an assessment tool for AIDS patients using Johnson’s paradigm (McEwen, M., 2018, p.157). Thus, such a theory can be applied in different settings with various patients.
Additionally, the theory is relevant cross-culturally, and even when observed behaviors do not match cultural norms, equilibrium in the behavioral system indicates good response and adaptation. Last but not least, Johnson’s approach has been heavily utilized in nursing studies and practice. Her material has also been adopted for use in hospital settings and used as an educational curriculum for a variety of nursing programs (McEwen, M., 2018, p.158). Therefore, it can contribute to nursing leadership, practice, education, and research since it is helpful in a clinical environment and educational conditions.
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice. ANA. Web.
Aşkar, S. E., & Ovayolu, Ö. (2022). Nursing care based on Dorothy Johnson’s Behavioral System Model in coronary artery disease: A case report. Medical Science and Discovery, 9(2), 138-142. Web.
Anukam, A. (2021). Implementing patient health questionnaire tool to improve depression screening in a primary care practice [Doctoral dissertation], p.10. Grand Canyon University. Web.
Black, B. (2019). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. Elsevier Health Sciences.
McEwen, M., Wills, E. M. (2017). Theoretical basis for nursing (5th ed.), pp.155-158.Wolters Kluwer Health.
McGuiness, M. (2021). Utilizing the Behavioral System Model for adolescent depression in the school setting [Doctoral dissertation], pp.5-8. University of New Mexico. Web.