Orem's Self-Care Model: A Professional Nursing Practice Model Nursing theory is an organized and systematic articulation of a set of statements related to questions in the discipline of nursing. (Caley, p. 302, 1980) The model presented by Dorothea Orem is based on the idea that as human beings, we are engaged in self-care activities that allow us to maintain a state of good health. Orem defines health as "a state of a person that is characterized by soundness or wholeness of developed human structures and of bodily and mental functioning" (Coleman, p. 325, 1980) Utilization of Orem's concepts allows the nurse freedom to develop their own style practice to best meet the self-care needs of any patient.

Nurses have always recognized the rights of clients of all ages to be both informed and active participants in care, but the idea of self-care has not always been apparent concerning the idea and delineation of care. This theory of self-care is of great interest to me because, in the past, I've thought of the medical profession to be responsible for patient care from start to finish. And the idea of self-care to have nothing to do at all with nursing. In beginning this thesis, it was important for me to first underline that the role of the professional nurse is to promote & maintain healthy systems. (Coleman, p. 327, 1980)...

56-60, 1982) Competence in self-care determines quality of life and has an impact on longevity; this is true in sickness or in health. Nurses assist clients to achieve competence in self-care, through education, instruction, and guidance. "Health education is an example of self-care -- one that informs, motivates and helps people adopt healthful life styles."
Self-care is defined as action directed by individuals to themselves or their environments to regulate their own functioning and development in the interest of sustaining life, maintaining or restoring integrated functioning under stable or changing environmental conditions, and maintaining or bringing about a condition of well-being. (Taylor, p. 25, 1985)

Nursing isn't only about "doing for the patient," but about assisting them and directing them to carry out their own self-care and self-directed life. "A patient competent to live in the real world is competent not only to obtain and participate health care, but to do as much of it as would be done outside the institutional setting normally." (Coleman, pp. 325-344, 1980) Self-care then, is especially important in any field of nursing…