Orems Theory of Self-Care Deficit - Essay Example

"Orem’s Theory of Self-Care Deficit" is an engrossing example of a paper on care.
A theory that could be applied in critical care/ pediatric/psychiatric nursing is Orem’s theory of self-care deficit. According to Basavanthappa (2007), the theory has been employed in various environments such as psychiatric care, public and community health, bone marrow transplant, hemodialysis, children in pain and leukemia, rehabilitation, women with gestational diabetes, the elderly, terminally ill, diabetic patients and patients undergoing enters normal therapy. The theory is compatible with the need theory, field theory, role theory, and health promotional theories. The Orem theory describes the dependent care representative as the giver of a child or infant care (p. 84).

How the nursing profession influenced the Orem theory

According to Orem, Renpenning & Taylor (2003), nursing is a practice of art because it provides care to particular individuals in need of nursing assistance. Nursing is an art that gives direct personal service to physicians and patients (p.3). Therefore, nursing is an art by which a nurse practitioner provides specialized care to individuals who are not able to satisfy their daily requirements of self-care and also those that are not in a position to take part in medical care from their physicians. The nursing art is accomplished by doing for the individual with self-care deficit, by assisting them to carry out themselves or by assisting them to learn how to execute for themselves. The art of nursing is practiced by educating the patients’ family or friends on how to give care to the patient (p. 6). There are two themes that are important in modern nursing education which is self-care and evidence-based practice. Nurse practitioners need to know how to determine successful actions to be taken to assist patients to achieve the ability to cater to their self-care needs to maintain health, life, and nurture development (Taylor & Renpenning, 2011). The nurse practitioner provides care based on evidence-based evidence, and the Orem theory of self-care deficit provides the information and structure to comprehend self-care.

Points to support the theory

The Orem theory is based on relationships of therapeutic self-care demands and self-care representative distinguishing dependent care from self-care deficit. The theorist used the word deficit to mean insufficient but not a personality disorder. The inability to fulfill self-care needs necessitates the assistance of a nurse. The theorist interpreted how nurses gave nursing care, the meaning of self-care, and when nursing is required to understand the care needs of the individual (Fitzpatrick & Kazer, 2012).

Theorist motivation

The theorist’s motivation behind developing the theory is seen in her work. For over forty years Orem identified, wrote, and spoke of the necessity to expand the scientific foundation of nursing professionals. She believed that there is a discipline of self-care that is above individuals accomplishing things for their well-being (Taylor & Renpenning, 2011).