Abdellahs theory of Practice Model of Nursing - Research Paper Example

Abdellah’s theory of Practice Model of Nursing Nursing theory entails the principles that underpin nursing practice and that which generates further knowledge in nursing. However, confusion occurs to nursing students and practicing nurses due to disagreements on the professional literature about the nursing theory relevant to the nursing practice. Thus, it is essential to initiate and realize the significance of nursing theory in practice. Faye Glen is among the initial female surgeons, and she gains further credit for her development of a model nursing theory, which she termed, Patient-centered Approaches to Nursing Care. Nursing theories relate concepts that are explanatory and predictive in nature, derived from deductive and inductive reasoning of professionals in the practice. They facilitate the working of the practicing nurse in the working field. Nursing theory is a systemic organization and articulation of a set of statements, and related questions in the discipline of nursing that facilitate and project a phenomenon in practice for the purpose of prescribing, explaining or predicting. These theories constitute a significant part of nursing practice as they are remarkably beneficial. Among the gains of nursing theories in the practice, include that they aim to describe, explain and predict a phenomenon of nursing (Meleis, 2011). Thus, through such theory, it is easy for the nurses to identify the cause of suffering of the patient, and relate accordingly in explaining or predicting the condition the patient is suffering. Therefore, this aspect of nursing theory helps in simplifying the work of the nurses and reducing repetitive work within the practice. Thus, it speeds operations within the working of the nurses who practice application of the theories of nursing (Meleis, 2011). Secondly, nursing theories provide the foundations; they help in generating further knowledge and indicating the direction of developing nursing in the future, within the nursing practice. Therefore, in view of this, the nursing theories facilitate the learning process of nurses even at work as it helps them decide what they know and do not know. Thus, the nursing theories direct and determine the future practice of nursing and facilitate increment of knowledge in the practice, enhancing the quality of service delivery in the practice (Meleis, 2011). Moreover, nursing practice explicitly describes nursing, thus, helping to distinguish the basis of the practice. This constitutes benefits such as enhancing the professional status of the nurses, facilitating better patient care, improving the communication between nurses to nurses and nurses and patients (Meleis, 2011). In addition, it facilitates guidance for further research and education. Additionally, the nursing theories are significant in measuring the exponent of caring by nurses as they help analyze and explain the actions the nurses take. Therefore, the nursing theories are useful for evaluating the working of the nurses and quality of care they provide to patients. Furthermore, medicine as a practice continues to make advancements towards multidisciplinary approaches to healthcare. Similarly, nursing practice also strives to establish its body of knowledge that will define its professional boundaries (Meleis, 2011). Therefore, in this perspective, nursing theories are significant in developing this body of knowledge for nursing practices, thus, growing the nursing practice as a profession. The nursing theories define and facilitate the development of independence of the nursing practice, protecting the nurses form abuse and misunderstanding by the other interrelated professions, such as medicine. They foster and enhance autonomy of the nurses, by defining their own independent functions (Meleis, 2011). A Person-centered Approach to Nursing is a practical approach that focuses on the needs personal needs, desires and goals that then become central in facilitating care and the nursing process. Thus, in this indication, the approach requires that nurses establish a definition of the experiences of the health, illness, need or injury of the patient, work with such findings while applying the medical diagnosis as required. Faye Glen Abdellah dedicated her life to developing the nursing profession, establishing the theory of Patient-centered Approaches to Nursing Care, in which she defines the principles she deems fit for nursing practice. Her key concept in developing this theory is that she seeks to draw away from the disease-centered orientation to care of the total health of the patient. She uses the theory to bring nursing practice to its intended function of restorative and preventive measures to meeting the total needs of the patient. She focuses on the orientation of the nursing conduct rather than the disease orientation; thus, the name, Patient-centered Approach (Abdellah, 1960). The major concepts that she identifies include that, she terms health of client as the ‘total health, implying to both state of body and mind wellbeing (Abdellah, 1960). She includes the society in the planning for optimum health at the individual, local, state and international level. Additionally, she views the client health needs as problems that need a solution, which include both overt and covert problems. Further, she emphasizes that quality professional nursing care initiates the nurses to identify both covert and overt problems and solve them. Therefore, the theory facilitates a problem-solving approach that practitioners can use to guide their activities easily within the nursing practice (Abdellah, 1960). Dr. Abdellah formulated a conceptual model concentrating on the needs of patients and the role of nurses in identifying the problem using analysis approach. The model is inductive as it derives observations from studies that facilitate her conceptualization (Abdellah, 1960). The technique of nursing practice that she describes has a significantly notable role within the confines of nursing leadership, education and health policy formulation. In view of its impact in nursing leadership, the model of her theory is useful in setting the staffing outline within the clinical settings. The theory concentrates on the establishment of patient oriented care rather than illness (Abdellah, 1960). Thus, in this perspective, the theory designates that nursing leadership should have a responsive nature. The nursing leadership should emphasize on creating relationships between the nurses and clients as this will facilitate delivery of quality care to the ‘total health’ of the patient. Additionally, nursing leadership should focus on developing and encouraging the nurses to adhere and concur with measures of conduct that orient to the whole health of a patient. Moreover, the leadership of nursing receives a boost from the theory as it encourages the leadership to take charge of care and allow independence of nurses in the practice. Thus, through the theory, leadership work of the nurse leaders becomes easy to implement. The example of the research article by Therese Meehan, on careful nursing practice and professional practice, the theory is in line with the finding that encourages nurses to take authoritative responsibility in practice (Meehan, 2012). It encourages management of the practice through the influence on the health systems and professional leadership within the nursing practice. In view of the nursing education, the theory views the practice as deviating from the essential aspects of nursing practice. The theory suggests that, nursing education should orient the nurse students to focus on developing personalized caring attitude and skill if they are to facilitate quality and holistic patient care. The theory bases on art and science that mould the attitudes, technical skills and intellectual competency of the nurses, thus, this is a concept that it emphasizes for application within the curriculum of the nursing education. The aspect that problem solving is logical, then the framework ought to focus on nursing practice education, professors, and educators to realize the importance of client centered approach to care rather than focusing on medical intervention learning. In relation to the article on determining self-efficacy in critical care nurses by Evelyn & Carol 2009, this theory advocates for improvement of self-efficacy of the nurses in practice. Thus, in education, the theory facilitates that nursing students develop self-efficacy for their effectiveness in work. The theory is a mentor in the education of nurses (Evelyn & Carol, 2009). The health policies are essential in guiding nursing practice. The theory as described by Dr. Abdellah constitutes several recommendations to the healthy policies in practice. The theory emphasizes the need to focus on care of patient health holistically; thus, it agrees with the health policy that the nursing practice ought to facilitate a holistic care that encompasses the entire wellbeing of the patient. Additionally, the theory further suggests that, policies need to focus on the relationship of the patient and nurses. The practice, as the article by Therese Meehan, on careful nursing practice and professional practice finds, the health policies need to establish and define boundaries of nursing professional practice, allowing the nurses to take authoritative responsibility (Meehan, 2012). It also encourages the development of nursing education policies that will facilitate improvement of self-efficacy of nurses in practice. In conclusion, nursing theory focuses on giving the nurses a sense of responsibility and identity. Thus, nursing theories help the patients, nurse leaders, healthcare professionals and nursing educators in recognizing and developing quality measures of nursing care. The Patient-centered Approach by Dr. Abdellah defines nursing theory practices that mold the attitude, technical skills and intellectual competency of the nurse in their endeavor to provide care to patients. References Abdellah, F. G. (1960). Patient-centered approaches to nursing. New York: Macmillan publishers. Meehan, T. (2012). The Careful Nursing philosophy and professional practice model. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 21(19/20), 2905-2916. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04214.x Meleis, A. I. (2011). Theoretical nursing: Development and progress. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Evelyn S. and Carol R. (2009). Research Education for Clinical Nurses: A Pilot Study to Determine Research Self-Efficacy in Critical Care Nurses. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 40 (10), 454-461. doi 10.3928/00220124-20090923-05.   Read More