Dorothea Orem Self care deficit theory of nursing individuals, families, groups and communities need to be taught self

care

Theorist : Dorothea Orem (1914-2007) Born 1914 in Baltimore, US Earned her diploma at Providence Hospital Washington, DC 1939 BSN Ed., Catholic University of America 1945 MSN Ed., Catholic University of America She worked as a staff nurse, private duty nurse, nurse educator and administrator and nurse consultant. Received honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1976. Theory was first published in Nursing: Concepts of Practice in 1971, second in 1980, in 1995, and 2001.

MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS People should be self-reliant and responsible for their own care and others in their family needing care People are distinct individuals Nursing is a form of action interaction between two or more persons Successfully meeting universal and development self-care requisites is an important component of primary care prevention and ill health A persons knowledge of potential health problems is necessary for promoting self-care behaviors Self care and dependent care are behaviors learned within a socio-cultural context Metaparadigm in Nursing Orems theory addresses clients self-care needs. It is define as goal-oriented activities that are set towards generating interest in the part of the client to maintain life and health development. The theory is aimed towards making the clients perform self care activities in order to live independently. Person According to Orem, human beings are very much different from other living things in term of their capacity. Humans can reflect upon events, themselves, and their environment. They can symbolize experiences that they have been through by using words or ideas. Such symbols could be used creatively in guiding and communicating in their efforts towards the attainment of something beneficial to them. Human functioning is an integrated system comprised of physical, psychological, interpersonal, and social aspect. Orem believes that individuals have the potential to be developed and learned. Health Orem supports the World health organization definition of health as the state of physical, mental, social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Orem believes that health should be perceived this way since she believes that these integrated aspect f health are inseparable. Oftentimes, Orem presents health based on preventive health care. This model of health care includes the promotion and maintenance of health, the treatment of disease or injury, and the prevention of complications.

Environment Orems view of health as a phenomenon affected by inseparable entities shows her view of the surrounding environment as an external source of influence in the internal interaction of a persons different aspects. Nursing According to Orem, Nursing is helping clients to establish or identify ways to perform self care activities. Nursing actions are geared towards the independence of the client. If the client is highly dependent, there is a need for the nurse to assist and address the needs of the client. Further, Orem defines nursing as a human service. It is a distinguished human service since its focus is on person with inabilities to maintain continues provision of healthcare. She added that nursing is based on values. Self care deficit theory of nursing Self-care Self care is an activity that promotes persons well being. It is performed by persons who are aware of the time frames on behalf of maintaining life, continuing personal development and a healty functional living.