Middle Range Nursing Theories

Nursing is a critical profession that aims at improving the quality of life and health of individuals, communities and societies. Nursing outcome is significantly influenced by the knowledge of the contemporary health problems, dynamics and the evolving health challenges in the modern society. Meleis (2010) argues that nursing knowledge development is key to the improvement of the quality of life. To achieve the highest level of knowledge application in nursing, application of nursing theories becomes the most critical part of nursing. Nursing theories are significant in identifying the nursing problems, and finding solutions to the problems with the aim of achieving the best desired health outcome. There are many nursing theories that have

The middle-range theories comprises of many theories and models that are applicable in nursing. Of more significance, theories are anchored on assumptions made up of concepts, definitions, concepts, and propositions that area arrived at after extensive research studies. For theories to be valid, they must be logically linked to past research in the field of study and show high level of consistency to the everyday life. Theories attempt describe, explain, and predict a nursing phenomenon. In essence, nursing theory provides guidance on further research and education in the field with aim of achieving better patient care, professionalism in service provision and effective communication models (Meleis, 2010). While there are many theories that can be applied in nursing to improve the quality of nursing care, this study will focus on Johnson's Behavior System Model. The principles and models of this theory can be effectively applied in nursing practice to solve the problems identified in the nursing

According to Johnson, most patients fall sick or increase the disease risk factors because of their behaviors. In her theory, she reiterated that there the subsystems of human behaviors are interdependent, interactive and integrated simultaneously (Fawcett, 1984).

Johnson’s model was based on the assumption that human behavior system is made up of seven key subsystems. These include the achievement, the protective, dependency, eliminative, ingestive, affirmative, and the sexual. These subsystems have a distinctive role in the behavior of a person. According to the model, the achievement subsystem deals with setting and achievement of goals, while the protective subsystem deals with threats to one’s life (Fawcett, 1984). The affirmative subsystem is crucial for the formation of relationships while the dependency subsystem obtains the feedbacks about the self and recognizes the need to defend one another. Whereas the ingestive subsystem plays a key role in the intake of nutrients, the eliminative subsystem plays the roles of expressing the feelings to the outside world and the acquisition of knowledge. Finally, the sexual subsystem is vital in the reproductive health. John postulates that these subsystems do not work independently, but depends on each