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WRITTEN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS
Written Response to Questions
Week Four
Liberty University
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WRITTEN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS
Written Response to Questions: Week Four
Nursing theories help to guide nurses in their practice in order to serve the patient and
protect their rights. Many theories have similar main components and themes; however, each
theory also has its own strengths and weaknesses that must be addressed. Psalm 32:8 says “I will
instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on
you.” With the help of the Lord, we are able to choose the best nursing theory or theories to
guide our personal practice regardless of their weaknesses.
Faye G. Abdellah: Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing
Summary of Main Components
The main component of Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing is the twenty-one
nursing problems developed by Abdellah. These concepts involve activities nurses could assist
and facilitate in order to promote or maintain health of the patient. Further, she identified ten
steps in identifying a client’s problem and ten nursing skills to use in developing a plan for the
patient. This model embodies the concepts of nursing problems and problem solving. The term
“nursing diagnosis” was used in her writings in a time when diagnosing was thought to be only a
physician’s job. We now know that nursing diagnoses are what guide our patient care.
Strengths
Abdellah’s model can be used in many situations and patient populations. It is a simple
and easily understandable model and can be utilized to guide care in nursing practice with little
effort. It is used primarily in nursing education to improve nursing practice.
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WRITTEN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS
Weaknesses
The framework for this model focuses heavily on nursing actions, contrary to what she
described as a patient-centered model. There is little mention of the patient’s role and what is to
be achieved.
Virginia Henderson: The Principles and Practice of Nursing
Summary of Main Components
There are two main components of Virginia Henderson’s Principles and Practice of
Nursing theory. The first and main concept is that a nurse will care for a patient until the patient
is able to return to health and care for themselves. Furthermore, Henderson believes that it is the
nurse’s responsibility to aid the patient to independence or a peaceful death. The second concept
consists of the fourteen activities for client assistance that Henderson identified nurses may
facilitate for patients. Henderson’s theory embodies the nursing metaparadigm concepts of
nursing, health, patient, and environment. (McEwen & Wills, 2018)
Strengths
This theory is widely accepted in nursing practice in the U.S. today and can be applied to
many situations, patient populations, and specialties of nursing. It is simple and logical, making
it easy to understand. The fourteen activities of client assistance offers a holistic view of caring
for patients, including physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects.
Weaknesses
Henderson does not include a conceptual framework diagram that connects the concepts
of her theory. Further, it appears there is little explanation in assisting patients to have a peaceful
death, rather it focuses on assisting the patient back to health and independence.
