This paper examines the humanistic nursing theory as a grand nursing model, exploring its foundational principles and practical applications across two professional areas: hospital patient care and community health nursing. The paper discusses how the humanistic model frames nursing as a collaborative, two-way interaction between nurse and patient, emphasizing self-actualization, critical thinking, and community responsibility. Real-life examples — including Stuart Kerr and Florence Nightingale — illustrate the theory in action. The paper also covers the Q-sort research methodology developed by Stephenson and adopted by Carl Rogers as empirical support for humanistic theory's effectiveness in clinical settings.
This paper assesses a grand nursing theory: the humanistic nursing model. Nursing theories — whether grand or middle-range — provide organization for expressing statements related to questions in the field of nursing. They also give nurses the opportunity to describe, predict, explain, and control different activities relative to their daily practice. The humanistic nursing model is built on the premise that patients hold the key potential for self-actualization, which can be expressed in many healthy and creative ways. The focus of humanist nursing lies in the belief that nursing care is fundamentally a two-way interaction between patient and nurse, and that the outcomes of this relationship are shaped by the actions of both parties.
An important foundation of this model is the nurse's own self-awareness. "A nurse should always have a broad understanding of her own viewpoints; this helps in making more sense of and adding more meaning to her overall experience" (Williams, 2000). Nurses should also remain open to new and diverse ideas and innovations, which can greatly benefit their profession by deepening their understanding of the needs and wants of those in their care.
Nurses should be actively engaged in back-and-forth dialogue with others in order to develop a clearer understanding of those they serve, which ultimately simplifies and improves their tasks. It is also important to know others scientifically in the field of nursing — analyzing, comparing, interpreting, contrasting, and categorizing the issues encountered. A nurse should develop the ability to see herself as a source of knowledge, cultivated through deeper understanding, more effective communication, and increased learning from her own and others' experiences. A knowledgeable nurse is respected in every environment and has greater opportunities for advancement, is better positioned to save lives, and can support other nurses in their duties — all of which ultimately results in greater patient satisfaction.
All of the points mentioned above are closely integrated with the humanistic model. The sense of responsibility toward the community is its basic essence, and the more that nurses and other healthcare professionals internalize this, the better they perform their roles. This is an environment that appreciates healthy competition but also encourages cooperation, since such collaboration results in the greater good of the entire community served. These practices should therefore not be limited to the nursing role alone but should extend to doctors, surgeons, senior management, patients, and others.
It should also be noted that high-stress environments — such as acute care settings — often fail to give nurses adequate time to reflect, relate, and provide meaningful support. "It should always be remembered that talking and listening greatly helps in evaluating and clarifying many different functions and values for nurses as well as for patients" (Taylor, 2006).
The humanistic model can be applied across many professional environments, including management and education, but the primary focus here is patient care in the hospital setting. Although it is a core nursing function to ensure the safety and protection of patients, it is equally necessary for patients to cooperate with the nurses and doctors who care for them. In the humanistic model, patient safety is therefore considered a collaborative goal requiring effort from both patients and the entire healthcare team. In hospital environments, considerations such as education, culture, patient care, safety, and health maintenance planning are all connected to humanistic theory. "Recent advancements in the profession have allowed nurses to greatly increase their role in providing much more focus at primary care, which emphasizes many prevention techniques as well as the maintenance of health" (Kim, 2006).
These advancements have also allowed individuals to approach healthcare through spiritual, mental, and physical means that were previously considered out of reach. Technological progress has further helped in detecting and intervening during disease outbreaks, greatly reducing their impact on patients. The methodologies used in detecting such outbreaks include not only high-tech equipment but also the means by which healthcare workers interact with target populations — and here again the humanistic theory provides proper guidance on how to engage with others effectively.
"Critical thinking is a very crucial aspect in patient care" (Feldman, 2005). It relies on a strong knowledge base, proper attention, task organization, and sound behavior. The humanistic theory shapes the entire thinking process into a more productive one, enabling nurses to be efficient in all aspects of critical thinking. The result is a better-prepared nurse during medical emergencies — such as mass casualty events — when a hospital becomes the primary source of help for the injured. A nurse who is proficient in critical thinking can manage multiple patients simultaneously in such emergencies, which require extreme focus, patience, leadership, and knowledge to care for every individual at once amid widespread panic.
The humanistic theory is therefore one of the most valuable frameworks for guiding individuals in performing their nursing duties across all circumstances, and for providing positive inspiration to others.
"Stuart Kerr as humanistic nursing practitioner"
The humanistic theory also has significant applications in a second professional area: the community health nursing setting. The community can be defined as a group of individuals who share vital features of one another's lives and who use common resources and institutions. Health, in turn, can be defined as a truly balanced state of well-being that results from the harmonious interactions among body, mind, and soul. Community health, then, can be understood as meeting the needs of communities by correctly identifying problems and managing appropriate interactions within them. This definition reveals the close relationship between the humanistic theory and the concept of community.
Several basic elements of nursing practice are found in community health programs and related services. The first is the promotion of healthful living, which helps individuals achieve a better lifestyle, ultimately enabling them to serve themselves and their communities more effectively. Nurses can advocate for healthier living by encouraging the simplest of changes: a clean environment, a nutritious diet, and a routine that includes regular exercise.
The second element is the prevention of health problems. Nurses can actively participate in health-related programs that inform people about how to avoid behaviors and substances that damage a healthy lifestyle. These programs can include awareness campaigns about the use of cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and related substances, informing people how these choices can significantly reduce both the length and quality of life. Help should also be offered to those already struggling with addiction. This type of treatment involves not only medication but substantial personal attention from nurses and other community members, making it a community effort rather than an individual one.
The third element is the treatment of disorders. "Many common disorders, such as eating disorders, can be dealt with through simple therapies, guidance from nurses or doctors, and related steps" (Callaway, 2002). People affected by these disorders should be informed about how they are impacting their health and how straightforward precautions can help them return to a healthy life. In many cases, individuals with disorders are also experiencing psychological difficulties such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are often encouraged to participate actively in community dialogue sessions so they can share what they are going through, which greatly relieves mental stress and supports better overall treatment outcomes.
The fourth element is rehabilitation. Individuals with serious physical or mental disorders require proper rehabilitation and close attention from doctors and nurses, typically provided at rehabilitation centers within hospitals. The goal is to keep the patient under the consistent guidance of medical staff who regularly assess their condition and provide appropriate treatment. The humanistic theory is particularly relevant to rehabilitation because recovery depends on the combined efforts of the entire medical staff working in concert with the patient's own cooperation.
Finally, evaluation and research in community health nursing offer great potential for discovering new treatments and methods to combat disease. The humanistic model encourages individuals not only to participate in such research but to invest in it, so that its outcomes benefit not only their own community but others as well. A notable example is Jonas Salk, who invented the polio vaccine and chose to share it freely without any profit motive — a powerful illustration of the humanistic theory in practice.
Beyond these elements, nurses fulfill several major roles in the community setting. First, the nurse can be a care provider and role model, inspiring others to look after those who need significant attention, including individuals who have no one else to care for them. "The nurse can teach the community how to be a proper care provider" (Hansen, 2006). Second, the nurse serves as an educator, informing the community about helping those in need, raising awareness of disease outbreaks, and guiding people during medical emergencies. Third, the nurse can function as a manager, drawing on her comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology and emergency procedures to exercise leadership when situations are severe.
Fourth, nurses should also serve as advocates, not only for their own positions but for others who require support. Fifth, strong collaboration skills are essential in a community environment. "The nurse must have a positive attitude toward others, be patient, be willing to listen to what others have to offer, and be able to operate across different environments and circumstances" (Traynor, 1999). Sixth, a good nurse should also strive to be a skilled researcher, since research allows nurses to learn new things, gain an edge in knowledge and experience, and stay current on new diseases and prevention mechanisms — as well as on leadership and human resources skills.
Community health nursing can be practiced across a range of major settings. These include home care, where nurses can develop a more responsible attitude and treat patients as they would treat those closest to them; ambulatory care settings, often considered the most experience-rich environments for encountering diverse patient presentations; educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities, where nurses address medical emergencies arising from sporting events or student incidents and build trust through involvement in student life; and residential settings, where nurses are assigned to serve individuals directly at home, informing close relatives on how to care for the patient and empowering patients to help themselves. "A nurse should always remember that her practice should not be limited to a specific area or a chosen set of individuals, but should be practiced everywhere" (Daly, 2005). This broader perspective allows the nurse to focus on helping others rather than only those she is formally assigned to serve.
Many nurses have devoted a large portion of their lives to the service of others, and some have become an inspiration for generations to follow. One such example is Florence Nightingale (1820–1910). Born into a wealthy family in England, she could have chosen a life of luxury, but instead she chose to help others — especially those in the greatest need.
"Florence Nightingale's embodiment of humanistic values"
"Q-sort method as empirical support for the theory"
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