Hfson Conceptual Framework Is a Nursing Model

HFSON conceptual framework is a nursing model developed by Myra Levine. An individual or a family as the main object of this frame plays a critical role in this framework by influencing various factors related to the environment. The client is under a constant change in this model arising from its continued interaction with both the internal and external environments. Internal environment comprises of bio-psychosocial and spiritual components, whereas the external environment is made up of perceptual, and operational dimensions. The perceptual framework encompasses perceived stimuli like sound, taste, and touch while conceptual framework includes beliefs, value systems, language, and cultural traditions. On the other hand, the operational dimension comprises of those factors that cannot be perceived by any sense organ such microorganisms or radioactive emissions (Levine & Jacqueline, 2001).

Levine asserts that the unique interaction of components within this framework results in exchange of information making it a learning process. In line with HFSON as an academic wing of John Hopkins Hospital, this framework is critical in helping students in the medical field to sharpen their conceptual and analytic skill as far as handling their respective clients is concerned. This is even more crucial in this era where evidence-based practice aimed at enhancing good health and combat illnesses has become a prominent trend among medical practitioners (Parker, 2000). Professional nurses have come to embrace the value of collaboration with educators, leaders, scholars, and other professional in providing quality health care services to their clients. Based on this framework, health includes the realization of learnt and natural human potential through studying of environmental, social, and cultural factors. It is important to understand that nurturing and provision of this interaction occurs in an environment that aims at protecting the health of its client.

In this model, the individual in question is at the centre of balancing various aspects related to utilization and conservation of energy. This self-adjusting mechanism ensures health is maintained in the process of interacting with the environment. For example, in the process of administering therapeutic interventions, nurses' primary objective is to optimize the energy available to the individual client for health through reducing their energy demands and by maximizing competence to utilize energy economically. In addition, the ability of an individual to adapt is anchored on the conservation of personal, social, and structural integrity. Examples of factors that make up personal integrity include health improvement, maintenance of good health, individualistic perception, esteem, personal respect among others. On the other hands, social integrity constitutes aspects such as self-belief, values, and economic status. Finally, structural integrity includes healing and other biological processes (Meleis, 2011).

The family plays a critical role in enhancing social integrity to an individual client. This is because individuals co-exist in the context of close relations who are responsible for providing love, inspiration, care, and supports among other factors. A closely-knit family fabric aids the individual to develop an identity and the ability to adapt to the environment. It is worth noting that, just as an individual, the family also has its own internal and external environment. The factors within the internal environment of a family include all those factors that affect health such as spiritual, psychosocial, and biological factors. On the other hand, external environment to a family consists of all those factors that fall under perceptual, operational, and conceptual dimensions. The perceptual dimension involves the manner in which a family picks up and responds to sensory data emanating from its environment. This could be light, smell, or touch. Concerning operational dimensions, these factors may not be directly perceived as they include factors such as radioactive substances that may threaten life. Lastly, conceptual dimension describes the manner in which a family applies language, opinions, symbols, or concepts to interact with policies, cultural practices, and institutions (Levine & Jacqueline, 2001).

The community is the third client that is included in the conceptual framework as advanced by Levine in her model. For this case, this term may be used to refer to a physical location, group of individuals, or a social system that exists with the primary purpose of addressing and maintaining the conservation requirements of its members. The community, just like the other categories of the client is made up of personal, social, and structural integrity. However, the role defined by these identities differs slightly from the other client in the sense that it is applicable on a group of individuals for the latter (Wilkinson & Treas, 2010).

For example, personal integrity for the community is concerned with fostering identity, core values, traditions, and social patterns. Secondly, social integrity operates under ethical values of the community, which also describes the roles, and responsibilities of its members. Finally, structural integrity is made up of all those elements that aid in the preservation of the function of the community. An example is healthcare delivery system that endeavors to address the conservation requirement of the community, enhance, and maintain wellness.

In respect to the above concepts as advanced by Levine, it is evident that health and illness are simply but adaptive responses to a host of environmental challenges. Health essentially describes the holistic state of the client while the illness indicates failure in the adaptation process, which may eventually lead to death. Therefore, it is worth noting that the survival of an individual is well dependent on the quality of their adaptation (Parker, 2000).

Based on the conceptual framework discussed previously, nursing is specifically tailored to enhance and maintain clients' interaction with the environment. This objective is accomplished via restorative treatment interventions to conserve the client's energy and their social and personal integrity. The setting of this process could be a hospital, clinic, community or at home. In order to promote the client's adaptation effectively, a professional nurse may act on various capacities. They may include as manager of care, researcher, caregiver, educators, socio-political activists, and coordinators among others (Wilkinson & Treas, 2010).