Humanistic Nursing Theory: The Importance Of Theory In Nursing

The Importance of Theory in Nursing Nursing as a profession continues to evolve through innovation and advancement in technology and clinical practice. No matter the change in practice the fundamental concepts of nursing as a profession are rooted in nursing theory. Theory is the fundamental foundation on which the legitimacy of the nursing profession is built (McCrae, 2012, p. 222). The theory selected for this paper is the Humanistic Nursing Theory. Josephine Paterson and Loretta Zderad’s humanistic nursing theory applies both humanism and existentialism to nursing theory (Wolf & Bailey, 2013, p. 60). The humanism concept reinforces and supports the importance of the human relationship in nursing practice. The existentialism concept is

The theory is based on the fundamental concept of human interaction. The theory is multidimensional and based on interactions and the shared human experience. According to Wu and Volker (2012), the authors of the humanistic theory, describe nursing as both a mode of doing something and being present with the patient. Interactions between patients and the nurse are unique experiences that emerge as a reflection of experience and connectivity. Nursing as a profession is a complex profession that is heavily rooted in the ability to communicate and interact throughout a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. According to Wolf and Bailey (2013), Zderad stressed the importance of perspectives on patients’ subjective worlds. The concept of human interaction in the healthcare setting extends beyond the patient to include family and community. Paterson and Zderad’s theory identify the act of nursing as the ‘between’ in the ‘call-and-response’ (Silva, 2013, p.133). Silva (2013) affirms Patterson and Zderad’s theory by stating, “nurses are prompted to respond to health-related concerns through entering the world of another” (p. 133). Connectivity between the nurse and the patient has a dramatic effect on perception and holistic care. The shared human experience is unique to each individual involved. Effective nurse-patient relationships are