Virginia Henderson's The Nature of Nursing: Virginia Henderson's The Nature of Nursing Theory

Virginia A. Henderson's The Nature of Nursing

(1897-1996)

“I believe that the function the nurse performs is primarily an independent one – that of acting for the patient when he lacks knowledge , physical strength, or the will to act for himself as he would ordinarily act in health, or in carrying out prescribed therapy. This function is seen as complex and creative, as offering unlimited opportunity for the application of the physical, biological, and social sciences and the development of skills based on them.”

(Henderson, 1960)

Virginia Henderson's Background

Virginia Avenel Henderson is a well known Nurse,Teacher,Author,Researcher and Health Advocate.She is known as "The Nightingale of Modern Nursing","The First Lady of Nursing",and the "Modern Day Mother of Nursing".She was born on Nov. 30,1897 in Kansas City,Missouri.She is the 5th of eight children of Daniel Brosius Henderson and Lucy Minor Abbot.She was educated at Army School of Nursing in the year 1921 still eager to earn her diploma.She's studied at Teacher's College Columbia University.She's earn her bachelors degree in the year 1932 her master's degree in the year 1934 and became a member of faculty from year 1934 until 1948.She was a researcher associate at Yale University School of Nursing since 1953.She has numerous achievements as a nursing educator and prolific author.She received Honorary Doctoral Degrees from prestigious the universities. Her publication were Textbook of Principles and Practice's of Nursing in 1956.The Nature of Nursing in 1966 the analysis of Nursing Theory Images of Nursing from 1915-1970 and the Nature of Nursing reflection after 20 years in 1991.

She died at the Connecticut Hospice featured in her writing and experienced the peaceful death she desired for all mankind.She buried in the family plot in the churchyard of St. Stephen's Church,Forest,Bed ford,County,Virginia.

Henderson's theory and the four Major concepts

1.INDIVIDUAL

Have basic needs that are component of health.
Requiring assistance to achieve health and independence or a peaceful death.
Mind and body are inseparable and interrelated.
Considers the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual components.
The theory presents the patient as a sum of parts with biopsychosocial needs.

2.ENVIRONMENT

Settings in which an individual learns unique pattern for living.
All external conditions and influences that affect life and development.
Individuals in relation to families
Minimally discusses the impact of the community on the individual and family.
Basic nursing care involves providing conditions under which the patient can perform the 14 activities unaided

3.HEALTH

Definition based on individual’s ability to function independently as outlined in the 14 components.
Nurses need to stress promotion of health and prevention and cure of disease.
Good health is a challenge -affected by age, cultural background, physical, and intellectual capacities, and emotional balance Is the individual’s ability to meet these needs independently.

4.NURSING

Temporarily assisting an individual who lacks the necessary strength, will and knowledge to satisfy 1 or more of 14 basic needs.
Assists and supports the individual in life activities and the attainment of independence.
The nurse is expected to carry out physician’s therapeutic plan Individualized care is the result of the nurse’s creativity in planning for care.
“Nurse should have knowledge to practice individualized and human care and should be a scientific problem solver.”
In the Nature of Nursing Nurse role is,” to get inside the patient’s skin and supplement his strength will or knowledge according to his needs.”

ASSUMPTION

The major assumptions of the theory are:

"Nurses care for patients until patient can care for themselves once again. Patients desire to return to health, but this assumption is not explicitly stated.
Nurses are willing to serve and that “nurses will devote themselves to the patient day and night” A final assumption is that nurses should be educated at the university level in both arts and sciences.

ANALYSIS

Every individual who has similar needs indicated in the 14 activities by Henderson are the only things that human beings need in attaining health and for survival. With the progress of today’s time, there may be added needs that humans are entitled to be provided with by nurses.

The prioritization of the 14 Activities was not clearly explained whether the first one is prerequisite to the other. But still, it is remarkable that Henderson was able to specify and characterize some of the needs of individuals based on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Some of the activities listed in Henderson’s concepts can only be applied to fully functional individuals indicating that there would always be patients who always require aided care which is in contrary to the goal of nursing indicated in the definition of nursing by Henderson.

Because of the absence of a conceptual diagram, interconnections between the concepts and subconcepts of Henderson’s principle are not clearly delineated.

Virginia Henderson,help a new student nurse on how to perform the 14 activities for client Assistance.

ESSAY

''What I have learned in Virginia Henderson's theory is that how to deal to our clients especially performing the 14 basic needs and the other activities.It is very helpful to a beginner student's to practiced and to enhance their ability,knowledge,and performances" ~ LOVELY JANE A. MC CANN ~