Susan Leddy's contributions to nursing theory

Nursing Theorist Susan Leddy

Major Concepts of Leddy Theory of Nursing

Nursing Theorist Susan K. Leddy is the developer of the Human Energy Model of nursing and health. According to this model which was highly influenced by Rogers' science of unitary human beings the person is a unitary energy field that is continually open and interacting with the environmental energy field. The human being (energy field) is distinct from the environmental energy field in its ability to self organize and interact with awareness which makes, intention, the construct of self-identity and meaning as well as the ability to influence change of self and the environmental energy field through choice.

The environment is seen as dynamic and changing through transformation of energy with matter and information in a continuous process. "These transformations occur as a web of connectedness in relationships within the self and with the environment, including other humans and/or an "ultimate other" Change is partially unpredictable, but is also influenced by inherent order of the universe, history, pattern and choice." (Leddy, 2006, p. 86)

Health according to Leddy, "is the pattern of the whole." The pattern changes in matters of harmony/dissonance and varied over time in both quality and intensity.

The definition of this harmonious/dissonant dynamic health is acutely linked to Leddy's definition of nursing, which she defines as a, "Knowledge-based consciousness in a goal directed relationship with an individual or family client…during which the nurse is a knowledgeable, concerned facilitator, and the individual or family client is responsible for choices that influence health and healing." (Leddy, 2006, p. 86) The nurse then is a dynamic player but the person is ultimately responsible for health directed change.

Implications for Theory in Current Clinical Practice Setting

According to Leddy "The facilitation of harmonious health patterning is accomplished through health pattern appraisal and subsequent energetic interventions." (Leddy, 2006, p. 86) These interventions are presumably provided through an effective interaction between the individual/family client and the knowledgeable nurse or other healthcare facilitator. The model that Leddy provides is the Practice Theory of Energy Intervention, which has also been expanded on by other theorists. According to the model "the universe is composed of an essence that has a duel nature: particle and wave. Universal essence has three aspects that are not differentiated in reality; matter is the potential for structure and identity, information is the potential for coordination and pattern, and energy is the potential for process, movement, and change." (pp. 93-94)

It is at this point in the model that Leddy develops the use of untested methods to manipulate the aspects of the person. She advocates for the use of electromagnetism, light, sound, heat and gravitation as ways to induce a realignment of harmony. Leddy also includes the laying of hands, electromagnetism and other methods to reestablish harmony in the energies of the individual and the environment. Though in theory these methods sound hokey the practice is actually relatively simple to see if one takes elements of application for the theory and divorces it from the ideological, such as equating the terminology laying of hands with the use of therapeutic massage or heat therapy with consistent and historical use of heat pads, blankets and circulation instruments to raise body temperature of a patient as well as provide comfort and pain relief. These methods, taken out of the context of Leddy's model language then are then not actually untested but foundational to the ideology of the nurse as the bringer of comfort measures for reestablishment of health.

Relationship of Man, Health, Environment to Nursing

Leddy's theories may in careful analysis come across as relatively ideological and frankly metaphysical, especially when given her emphasis on the unseen, the different energy flow theories, such as the Chakra (pp. 91-93) and other highly controversial at least in language. Yet one must also acknowledge that one fundamentally important aspect of her theory ie. The connectivity of man, health environment and nursing is well documented and well made in her theories and many that have sprung from them.