Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness Applying Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness to the nursing paradigm demonstrates her concepts of health and illness as part of a greater whole and each person’s unique experience as a major factor in that person’s health and illness. In relating her theory to the nursing paradigm, it is important to understand that Newman believes “that we cannot isolate, manipulate, and control variables in order to understand the whole of a phenomenon” (Harris, 2009, p. 220). Her theory emphasizes the whole of the experience of the person who is the patient.
Person. Newman’s theory sees the patient as a whole person: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual. The patient is a result of his or her unique life experience, so to understand the patient and his or her health or illness requires understanding as much as possible of the patient’s whole life experience. When the nurse interacts with a patient to expand the patient’s health consciousness, the person reaches a “choice point” which forces the patient to choose a new, healthier pattern of existence or to stay with the old pattern that has led to ill health
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Nurse leaders should ensure that nurses are trained to understand the complete person, interested in discovering the whole experience of each individual patient, and skilled at eliciting information from each patient so that both the nurse and patient learn about the patient’s whole life experience. Using Newman’s theory, the nurse can help patients to understand their own realities better and find the “choice point” that allows the patient to decide to live a healthier life. The nurse, as part of the patient’s environment, can offer emotional, spiritual, and intellectual support that encourages a healthier choice once the patterns of the patient’s life experience become clearer through the nurse-patient
Participant 4 stated, “I think just basically being there for the family as well…I think even just a cup of tea can go a long way with any family (McCallum & McConigley, 2013). Another theory that intertwines with Watson’s is Barbara Dossey’s Theory of Integral Nursing. Dossey articulates, “Healing is not predictable, it is not synonymous with curing but the potential for healing is always present even until one’s last breath,” (Parker and Smith, 2015, p. 212). Dossey believes that integral nursing is a comprehensive way to organize different situations in fours perspectives (nurse, health, person and environment) of reality with the nurse as an instrument in the healing process by bringing his or her whole self into a relationship with another whole self. In the HDU, the RN’s interacted with each patient while providing high quality care to create a healing environment for the patient and family even when their prognosis was otherwise. Patient 3 specified that “We still have to provide care...and make the family feel that they are comfortable and looked after” (McCallum & McConigley, 2013). These theories ultimately show the importance of a nurse through the aspects of caring to create and maintain a healing environment that is not only beneficial to the patient but to their loved ones as
Nursing care is delivered to all clients recognizing that each individual as having different things working together as one unit. Nursing clients can be individuals, family, friends or a community of people. A person is a whole, a biophysical being who is clear and sensible, social, emotional, sexual, and deep down healthy. A person possesses possible ability to discover and give knowledge and skills to others, and to learn, grow, and change. As a clear and sensible being, a person uses their brain to seek out knowledge and truth. In a social setting, a person communicates with others and establishes various roles within society. Emotionally a person is able to offer empathy and compassion in certain situations that bring forth those feelings. Spiritually, a person is always pondering why we are here
The concept of person needs to be explored to go into further depth with the remaining concepts of the metaparadigm of nursing. Person refers to the person undergoing nursing care which includes individuals, families, groups, and communities (MacIntyre & McDonald, 2014, p.63). It is evident that each person may be unique with different biological, psychological, social, and spiritual depth (Thorne, 2010, p.66). Therefore, it is necessary for nurses to realize that each person at the centre of any nursing care will experience different feelings in regards to their body as a whole. The theorist, Parse, defines the concept of person as being “linked to an unfolding process, the relating of value priorities, meaning, and quality of life” (Wu, 2008, p.6). Also those human beings are free and choose in situations that arise from personal experience and becoming with the universe (Thorne, 2010, p.71). The nurses’ role in regards to this theory is to act encourage individuals in their human becoming process. Wu (2008) looks at the p...
A nurse’s role in our society today is exceptionally significant. Nurses are somewhat idolized and looked to as our everyday “superman”. “The mission of nursing in society is to help individuals, families, and groups to determine and achieve physical, mental, and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work” (“The Role of a Nurse/Midwife”). Many Americans turn to nurses for delivery of primary health care services and health care education (Whelan). In our country, there is constantly someone in need of health care. There will always be a baby being born or a person dying, someone becoming ill or growing old. Some people due to their physical and/or mental state of health are completely dependent on a nurse and wouldn’t be able to get through the simple obstacles of every day, or achieve the necessary requirements of a simple day without their aid. Not only do nurses help, and assist you when you’re sick, but also act to promote good health to others. They end...
My philosophy of nursing focuses on making sure that nurses provide patient-centered care and to make patients feel like they are genuinely being cared for. Nurses must be guided by altruism. Nursing health care policies are rooted in the principle of altruism and nurses who take the initiative to take patients concerns seriously and show interest in their well-being, will only continue to grow and have satisfactory results. Watson viewed the individual as mind-body-soul and also, that there should be an internal balance between health and harmony (Zerwekh & Zerwekh Garneau, 2015). This is similar to how me and Watson see an individual because if a patient is not good in health, he or she will not be in harmony with oneself or others. There will not be an equilibrium with mind, body and soul, causing illness, depression and
She proposed that caring and love are universal and mysterious (Wagner, 2010). Watson believes that health professionals make moral, social, and scientific contributions to humanity and that a nurses' caring ideal can affect human development (Wagner, 2010). Watson believes that it is imperative in today's society to maintain a caring ideology in practice (Wagner, 2010). Caring is a concept that focuses on having a respectful, non-judgmental, supportive attitude that contributes to the healing process. Watson's theory, in relationship to the metaparadigm of nursing, focuses on the relationship between the nurse and the patient (Wagner, 2010). According to Watson's theory, the nurse and patient form a caring relationship where both the patient and the nurse promote healing (Wagner, 2010). In general, the theory of caring reminds us that a nurse can have a great impact on the life of a patient. If I were to add a new conceptual metaparadigm, it would be the concept of caring since I firmly believe that without caring it will be almost impossible to have wellness at all. If I were to choose one metaparadigm concept to eliminate, I would opt to remove the concept of health since I think that in the concepts of caring and nursing the individual's health should be fully
During my career as a registered nurse I have had the privilege of caring for my patients at the bedside and meeting their needs holistically. Additionally, the safety of my patients is one of the most important aspects of my current role. The experience of advocating for my patients during my nursing career has taught me to place my patient’s health and wellbeing first. The second most important aspect of nursing that I have learned during my career is how to meet my patient’s needs as a whole, not just physically but also emotionally and psychologically applying the holistic approach to each patient. I believe that the patient’s needs
In the field of Nursing, the role of caring is an important, if not the most critical, aspect involved to ensure that the patient is provided with the most proficient healthcare plan possible. Jean Watson developed a series of theories involved with transpersonal relationships and their importance, along with caring, in the restorative process of the patient and healing in general. Although all of Watson 's caritas processes are crucial to the role of nurses and patient care, the fourth process is incredibly essential as it outlines the importance of the caring nurse-patient relationship. This paper serves to identify Watson 's fourth caritas process, how it can be integrated in nursing care and how it can be developed by current nursing
This paper explores the personal philosophy I have as a nursing student and what I intend to convey throughout my nursing career. A philosophy is “an analysis of the grounds and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, n.d.). Before entering into any profession it is important to evaluate your personal philosophy about the profession, as it pertains to values and principles in which believe in to guide your practice. The field of nursing is more than treating a physiological ailment, but it involves providing quality care for the individualized needs of each patient, hence being client centered. My philosophy of nursing integrates the importance of knowledge base practice of medicine, combined with addressing holistic needs of the patient and family, including the physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social care (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, 2010). Additionally, a vital aspect of nursing is effective interpersonal relationships with other healthcare professionals to promote quality patient care. Moreover, my philosophy includes the importance the client-nurse relationship to aid in health promotion to prevent illness and increase the level of health of clients.
Every person’s needs must be recognized, respected, and filled if he or she must attain wholeness. The environment must attuned to that wholeness for healing to occur. Healing must be total or holistic if health must be restored or maintained. And a nurse-patient relationship is the very foundation of nursing (Conway et al 2011; Johnson, 2011). The Theory recognizes a person’s needs above all. It sets up the conducive environment to healing. It addresses and works on the restoration and maintenance of total health rather than only specific parts or aspect of the patient’s body or personality. And these are possible only through a positive healing relationship between the patient and the nurse (Conway et al, Johnson).
The APRN listens and engages with the patient as care and compassion take place. As the nurse discerns what the patient’s needs are and considers obstacles to achieving optimal care the application of theory is necessary as the process is not always quantifiable. The APRN who does not learn nursing theory may focus primarily on EBP and miss this engagement opportunity with the patient. One may prescribe medication; however, if the patient does not take the medication, then the nurse assumes the patient is noncompliant. The application of Watson’s themes where appropriate helps the APRN discern how to help the patient become compliant. It is necessary to care for the patient outside of the idea of only providing care to understand the obstacle in that patients circumstances and reach improved patient outcomes to any disease
One must have the full desire to help and care for people in order to have an enjoyable career as a nurse. Nurses are known for the care and compassion shown to the patients and this is comforting for both patients and their families. Caring for a patient can raise their spirits and can inspire a better outlook on their situation. As a nurse, I want to care for all my patients with the hope of improving their health and outlook on their life. I chose Jean Watson because she understands that caring is the core of nursing and believes caring promotes a better health than only performing medical care. She was the first grand theorist that focused on the aspect of caring for the patient while also caring for yourself as the nurse. Watson’s theory
“Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the appropriateness of action taken’, said Myrtle Aydelott (Hammarskjold, 2000). Nurses have our patients trust with their lives every day. These patients have needs that must be understood and met, whether; physical, psychological, or emotional. Nurses must provide nonjudgmental care to those in need, regardless of culture, religion, lifestyle choices, financial status, or hues of the human race. To quote Jean Watson, nursing theorist, “I am here to care for others, regardless of where they came from” (Hammarskjold, 2000). I believe that the nursing profession chose me because I have always had a calling to help those in need. Nursing
Jean Watson has stated that her work was motivated by her search for a new meaning to the world of nursing and patient care. “ I felt a dissonance between nursing’s (meta) paradigm of care-healing and health, and medicine’s (meta) paradigm of diagnosis and treatment, and concentration on disease and pathology”. Watson, 1997, p.49. Jean Watson’s theory was first published in 1979.
She was able to identify individual’s needs, which carried forth in to her theory. She wanted to set standards and values that would meet the broad range of human needs, yet be able to recognize individual differences among patients (Anderson, 1999). Because Henderson was primarily a nurse educator, her theory focuses on the education of nurses. Her theory was created from both her education and practice, making her work appealing to both ends of the spectrum (McEwen & Wills, 2011). Her theory is focused on the needs of a patient but in Henderson also emphasizes the importance to continue education and research. She stresses the significance of constantly searching for the best solutions and practices for optimal patient care (Anderson,