Virginia Hendersons Need Theory

1) Pioneering Theories in Nursing: Virginia Henderson’s Need Theory
Virginia Henderson is one of the pioneer scholars of modern nursing. She defined complex phenomena in modern nursing at a time not many other scholars were generating much content to improve the profession. Most of Henderson’s works focused on the role of nursing in the provision of health care, how nurses function, and what they do. In many cases, her works were always written in a way that could be understood even by laymen. According to Smith (1998), one of the most unique beliefs held by Henderson was her argument that nursing theories have no direct impact on the provision of health care to patients. However, she is more widely known for her work in identifying and organizing modern nursing knowledge (Parker, 2001).
The Needs Theory is one of the initial theories in modern nursing. Henderson’s conceptualization of nursing stressed on putting the patient in the middle of everything to hasten the provision of healthcare. In her conceptualization, Henderson divided nursing activities into 14 different groups based on need, the majority of them being physiological, other being psychological, spiritual, moral and sociological. According to her, the nursing role is complementary, supplementary, and substitutive. The objective of the role is to ensure that patients achieve as much independence as possible. Henderson’s definition of modern nursing is basically a succinctly written description of her conceptualization of nursing. Her definition was that the role of a modern nurse is to assist patients in doing things that will help them recover to an extent where they can do things independently (Henderson, 1958). Henderson’s works also concentrated on the importance of individual care as a part of nursing in helping individuals to recover, maintain their health, or to pass on peacefully (Meleis, 2007; George, 2011).
2) Theory Application Article: Application of Virginia Henderson’s Needs Theory on Elderly
According to a research by Fernandes, Guedes, Silva, and Borges (2016), Virginia Henderson’s definition of nursing and the nursing process was precise. Their research focused on the provision of health care to the elderly and they found that nursing based on need and individualized care was more effective in helping patients achieve better outcomes. When providing healthcare, the use of a Nursing Process based on concepts and theories related to individualized care, often significantly improves outcomes according to the Fernandes et al. (2016). Therefore, it is clear that to effectively perform their nursing duties, nurses have to look at existing concepts and theories in their profession and select the best depending on the situation they are faced with (Silva & Santos, 2010). Henderson helped establish a good base of knowledge for proper conduct in modern nursing. A base that defined the fourteen basic health needs and categorized them into multiple categories, namely moral, spiritual, social, psychological, and physiological categories (Henderson, 1958). The fourteen needs are not in themselves problems but areas where problems can occur. More accurately the needs provide rough guidelines to lead a successful modern nursing life. They include the need to: participate in recreational activities; enjoy a sense of accomplishment; practice faith; learn; communicate; avoid environmental risks; protect the skin; keep the body clean; maintain body temperature at normal; dress appropriately; sleep and rest; maintain a desirable posture; eliminate organic waste; eat and drink properly; and breath normally (Henderson, 1958). Thus, the conceptual model fronted by Henderson is regarded as a guide for the provision of clinical care to the elderly because it favors evaluating or helping individuals in all ways. It also helps nurses to think critically and provide comprehensive, systemized care that is evidence-based and humane (Fernandes et al, 2016).
3) What is your biggest takeaway from this course?
Nurses are an important part of the health care system. They bring in knowledge in patient care and the commitment to support patients in all ways possible. The most important thing I have learned from this paper is that nurses bring in a standard and organized process in the provision of care. I have also come to know that proper nursing practice demands one to be compassionate, artful, caring, skilled, and to have the right knowledge.
How will you apply theory in practice in the future?
One of the most important things that I need to have is the knowledge; the knowledge to make informed and proper clinical decisions. I can only keep abreast with the most up-to-date knowledge through continuously reading research findings and other publications in my area of specialization. Preferably, patient care decisions ought to be evidence-based. The evidence comes from the research and therefore reading the latest research is crucial. At the same time, I now also understand that nursing practice is the foundation on which nursing theories, concepts and protocols are developed (Saleh, 2018). So practice informs theory and is sometimes used to validate theory. Thus, I will endeavor to ensure that I do my best to adopt the best theoretical principles and the best practices to become a well-balanced nurse who makes effective clinical decisions.
4) Theory-Based Resource Example
Many scholars have documented their concerns with regards to the training of nurses on patient safety and quality care. This prompted faculty members in a nursing program to create and integrate student-oriented learning approaches to bolster the KSAs associated with QSEN Competency and Safety for students. The learning approaches including capstone simulation scenarios, online discussion forums, case studies, and modified learning modules, helped to actively engage students on the issues of patient safety and quality care. Learners have informally spoke about how some of the work allowed them to individually become apply theoretical knowledge more readily. Continuing to do things this way will help learners to better handle the challenges of nursing (Ross & Brudele, 2016).
5) Triad of Nursing
The link between theoretical knowledge and practice in nursing can be shown in a triad of nursing; research, theory, and practice. All these three aspects are interrelated. There have only been very limited attempts to conceptualize the link between practice and theory in nursing. However, utilizing Carr’s framework of theories of theory and practice, one can tell that the relationship between theory and practice is comprehended in several dissimilar ways. One of the most common conceptualizations of the relationship is that practice and theory are different and separate. Another one is that nursing is an applied science, which means it is practice-based (Fealy, 1997). Other times, the relationship between nursing practice and theory is understood in the context of nursing being a moral activity that demands choices, judgments, deliberation, and wisdom in practice. More recently, there have been attempts by scholars to conceptualize the link between nursing practice and theory in a manner that is more agreeable with what is universally recognized; nursing practice is conceptualized as a social and human enterprise that has intrinsically problematic. These contextualizations of the relationship between theory and practice have seemingly evolved over time with each new one appearing to account for new understandings of the link between the two aspects of nursing practice. How to view the relationship between theory and practice is expressed either explicitly in publications or implicitly in assumptions, beliefs, and views. From all this, it appears as if the current school of thought with regards to the relationship between theory and practice is one of eclecticism and that is generally open to the adoption of new theories, understandings, and practices (Fealy, 1997).
References
Fealy, G. M. (1997). The theory-practice relationship in nursing: an exploration of contemporary discourse. J Adv Nurs, 25(5), 1061-9.
Fernandes, B., Guedes, M., Silva, L., & Borges, C. (2016). Nursing process based on Virginia Henderson applied for a working elderly. J Nurs UFPE, 10(9), 3418-25.
George J. B. (2011). Nursing theories: The base for professional nursing practice (5thed). Norwalk, Appleton & Lange: USA.
Henderson, V. (1958). Principios fundamentales de los cuidados de enfermería. Bol Oficina Sanit Panam., 44(3), 217-220.
Meleis, A. (2007). Theoretical nursing: Development and progress (4th ed.). Lippincott, Philadelphia, USA.
Parker, M. (2001). Nursing theories and nursing practice. USA: Davis Company. Retrieved from http://graduatenursing.medilam.ac.ir/Portals/223/%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8/12a.pdf?ver=2016-07-14-202408-320
Ross, J., & Bruderle, E. (2016). Student-centered teaching strategies to integrate the quality and safety education for nurses’ competency, safety, into a nursing course. Nurse Educator, 41(6), 278-281.
Saleh, U. S. (2018). Theory guided practice in nursing. J Nurse Res Pract, 2(1). Retrieved from https://www.pulsus.com/scholarly-articles/theory-guided-practice-in-nursing.pdf
Silva B. T., & Santos, S. (2010). Cuidados aos idosos institucionalizados opiniões do sujeito coletivo enfermeiro. Acta Paul Enferm, 23(6), 775-81.
Smith, J. P. (1998). In my opinion. In Hermann, E. K. (Ed.), Virginia Avenel Henderson: Signature for nursing. Indianapolis: Center Nursing Press.