Faye Glen Abdellahs Theory of Nursing - Research Paper Example

Faye Glen Abdellah’s Theory of Nursing Introduction Faye Glenn Abdellah developed the theory of practice model of nursing to bringa whole scope of view into the field of nursing. Her theories reasoned around the principles of nursing that were patient-centered. It is the patient-centered orientation and approach to nursing that seemed very different to the nursing-centered orientation to the patient, the theories reflected that she had this deep desire to bring effect nursing principles that that contradicted the conventional nursing practice that were mainly disease-centered. In a bid to set the nursing practice in a proper relationship to the preventive and restorative measure in order to meet the total client’s or patient’s needs, she tends to shift the whole axis from the disease-centered to the nursing-centered; leaving the client or the patient somewhere in between ( Peate, 2010). Nursing-centered Disease-centered Client- centered Fig 1: The Centers of Nursing The patient-centered theory of nursing was designed to cub the problems that are faced in the field of nursing today (McSherry, 2012). Faye Glenn Abdellah came up with the theory to ensure that the profession of nursing is revolutionalized from the problems that she summarized into twenty-two. She believed that the theory would work best in eliminating these problems; and concluded to the patient-centered model of the practice of nursing that will swing in the middle of nursing-centered approach and disease-centered approach (Peate, 2010). Faye seemed to be completely confident in her theory and with the approaches presented and nursing problems identified, it is no doubt that she has great experience in the field of nursing. Theory in Nursing In the theory, Faye Glenn Abdella aims to formulate a vivid categorization of health needs and patients problems. She conceptualized the actions of the nurses and their care in contrary of her aim, through a proposed problem-solving measure formulated, the roles of nurses were defined to alleviate the issues assessed. The problem-solving approach requires that the nurse should have analytical thinking skills because the care provided to the patient should be of sound assessment and proper and accurate findings (Peate, 2010). Nurses do not only provide care to specific individual but to the society or the community at large. Therefore, the inclusion of the society in the theory makes it more generalized; this generalization is of great importance since the current healthcare level is of the greater society or community than the curative efforts in the healthcare institutions (Peate, 2010). The theory consists of ten nursing problems and eleven approaches or steps that can be applied to solve such problems. The Theory of Twenty-One Nursing Problems was developed at the time when nurses were advised that diagnosis was never a part of their job prescription in healthcare. It, therefore, became a very progressive theory because it approved of nursing diagnosis. There are particular elements that are distinguishable in the Twenty-One Nursing Problems Theory; it involves interrelated concepts that prevail in health, nursing problems and nursing problem solving (Peate, 2010). It is vital since it touches the areas of nursing practice as well as individual patients and the entire society with one sole intention: identifying problems and solving them. This activity is logically inherent in nature. In the field of nursing, numerous problems are faced. Problem/ Issue in Nursing One of the problems that the nurses face is to come into factual realization of what the patient is going through and administer the right, relevant and proper solutions. This first problem in this sequence begins when the nurse cannot learn how to know the patient. Getting to know the patient is a very challenging tasks for nurses since some patients are usually secretive of the nature of suffering they are going through and sometimes, they are administered when so ill that they can never participate in conceivable dialogue to let the nurse know what is really going on with the patient (Russell, 2010). This does not only end in the diagnosis level of knowing the patient, but is a broad area that requires nurse’s awareness. For instance, to make accurate troubleshooting for some illnesses, the nurse needs to know some facts about the patient that covers his or her biological (genetical) composition – as in the case of illnesses like hemophilia, sickle-cell anemia, and cancer. Environmental factors that the patient experiences are also crucial for the file of information the nurse may require. In addition, psychological (mental) and physiological information about the patient could offer some important information (Russell, 2010). If the nurse does not know the patient very well, it could be a big problem in making the right decision as far as problem solving is concerned. The little information the nurse gathers from the patient should be sort out to a relevant and significant data. The nurse, therefore, needs to have the knowledge and necessary skills of figuring this out. Misinterpretation of data can be very disastrous (Peate, 2010). The problem extends to where nurses need to generalize about the available data, this data has to be related or compared to other nursing problems that have been presented by the patients before in a bid to identify any problem that could become communal; in a bid to protect the society in the earlier stages of the problem. In this procedure, a therapeutic plan or strategy has to be established and test generalizations conducted with the patient in order to make even more generalizations. The patient conclusions about the nursing problems should also be validated. Problem analysis and disease diagnosis, therefore, presents very big challenge for the nurses in relation to the theory, the patient should also be kept under observation and evaluation for a period of time to determine whether there are any strange changes and even identify if there are any clues and attitudes affecting his or her behavior (Peate, 2010). The patients family needs to be explored to record their reaction to the therapeutic plan and if possible, involve them in a the nursing plan and above all, the nurses need to assess themselves and find out how they feel about all these procedure, the nursing job and about the nursing problems felt by the patient. Only when this problem definition is adequately met and solutions can be set up, the nurses should then discuss and come up with a comprehensive nursing care plan (Russell, 2010). Nursing Roles Nursing, as explained by Abdella, is a comprehensive service that entails: Recognizing the nursing concerns of a patient Providing complete care of the patient’s needs Provide immediate security to the patient and care to relieve his/her pain and discomfort Making the right appropriate actions in terms of proper nursing principles Adjust the nursing care plan to meet the patient’s changing needs Helping the individual adjust to the limitations especially with emotional problems Instructing the patient’s family and the nursing team to help the individual do for himself what he/she can depending on his/her limitations Helping the individual to cope with recovery and becoming self reliant and maintaining a stable state of body and mind Working together with the allied healthcare professionals in setting optimum healthcare on local, national and international levels Carrying out continuous research and evaluations to maximize the state of health and nursing techniques; developing new skills and technique to cope with the changing needs and technology When it comes to the solutions of the problems mentioned above, Abdellah came up with eleven directives in the theory to guide nurses into making appropriate solutions. The Twenty-One Problem Solving Approach in the assessment phase provides guidelines on how correct data and interpretation can be made. This is what provides the patients problems and allows the nurses to make correct diagnosis. The statements on nursing problems are like goal statements, so once the correct diagnosis has been made, the nursing goals have already been achieved or established and can now be used to plan nursing interventions (Peate, 2010). The nurse’s progress in the procedure or lack of progress will determine the final evaluation. This theory offers the basis of organizing and determining nursing care and strategies. Strategy of Problem Solving in Nursing The strategy that can be applied to sole the nursing problems mentioned in this paper involves a set of procedure that nurses must keenly follow. The strategically composition of the procedure entirely depends on the composition of the nursing problem the nurse is experiencing at every given time with the patient. For instance, in the trouble shooting stage where the nurse is required to know some information from the patient, observation can provide a very rich ground for picking up primary signals (Russell, 2010). The nurse should be very observant; watching every detail that is portrayed by the patient. This measure will equip the nurse with primary assessment on the patient’s health status in fact. Observation should begin immediately the patient is brought to the nurse’s care. Alongside observation, communication should ensue between the nurse and the patient. This step requires very acute communication skills from the nurse. Communicating with the patient may be challenging in the earlier stages, but with persistence, the patient will open up to the nurse. To achieve this however, the communication should not be kept too professional; it should be set on a friendly mode to allow the patient perceive the nurse as a helping friend who can be entrusted with health details (Russell, 2010). The most crucial aspect in this strategy is the application of the nurse’s knowledge. This is the basis of the occupation and without it; other steps cannot be competently accomplished. The nurse should not just perform duties free-mindedly but should base his or her actions on the nursing knowledge that has been acquired through education and experience. Medications should be given in scheduled and prescribed times and proper attendance to the patient must be observed. Information gathered from observation should be knowledgably assessed and analyzed. The knowledge would be used in educating the patient and guiding then in the matters that would quicken their recovery. The families of the patients would be educated on how to motivate and enhance the state of the patient based on nursing knowledge (McSherry, 2012). Employing this strategy towards solving nursing problems requires proper planning and organization of work. The steps involved in the procedure should be strategically laid as the training of the nurse’s directs and of course, there should be adequate use of resource and personnel materials. However, health resources should be used in recommended quantities – over quantifying or under quantifying supplies can cause damage that at times can be very fatal i.e. giving the patient an overdose or an under dose of a prescribed medicine. Problem solving strategy also incorporates the nursing skills of directing others when in charge and the ability to work in teamwork, therapeutic use of self and the ability to initiate the nursing procedure. Conclusion Finally, nursing as a healthcare profession requires good interpersonal skills, which enable the nurses to communicate and relate with the patients and their families; this is very essential for the recovery of the patient. Healing begins from the mind and the ability of the nurse to engage the patient in a manner that stabilizes his or her mind can create a big positive change in the healing process. Cleanliness and maximum hygiene is also crucial in this occupation. Nurses are charged with different responsibilities and at times, teamwork is required. Therefore, they should be trained on how to establish a working and productive team. The theories of nursing generally explore proper loyalty to the nursing code of conduct. Nurses should be the utmost ethical professionals since they deal with delicate human’s lives at the root of it. They should work together with the doctors and obey instructions and above all, nursing as a field should be one of the major contributors in the medical research field. References McSherry, W. (2012). Care in nursing: principles, values and skills. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Peate, I. (2010). Pioneering Theories in NursingPioneering Theories in Nursing. Nursing Standard, 24(43), 30-30. Russell, P. (2010). Cognitive and Behavioral Theories in Clinical PracticeCognitive and Behavioral Theories in Clinical Practice. Nursing Standard, 24(37), 30-30. Read More