Virginia Henderson Nursing Wiki

Education and Nursing specialty of the theorist:

Education: Virginia Henderson is a native of Missouri. She became interested in the nursing
career during WW1. She had a strong longing to assist the sick and injured military workforces
(George, 2010). Her patriotic zeal motivated her to enroll in the Army School of Nursing in
Washington, D.C. Here she was treated as if she were a trainee in the U.S. Military
Academy. Henderson also took courses at Teachers College, Columbia University with the help
of her adviser, Miss Annie Goodrich. She graduated in 1921 and then went on to practice her
nursing skills at the Henry Street Settlement in New York City. She started her profession as a
nurse instructor in 1924 at the Norfolk Protestant hospital located in Virginia. Henderson was
the first and only instructor of the school of nursing. After five years she returned to New York
City and began a formal degree in nursing (American Association for the History of Nursing,
2007). She began furthering her education at Columbia University Teachers College in 1926
and finished her Bachelor of Science degree in 1932 and her Master of Arts degree in 1934, both
in nursing education (George, 2010). Henderson went on to have a successful nursing career
which included components of nursing research and writing.
Nursing Specialty: Henderson focused mainly on helping war victims in trauma situations and
caring for wounded soldiers. She also worked as a psychiatric nurse and later worked in visiting
nursing services and as a pediatric nurse (George, 2010).

Application of the Metaparadigm
The four main concepts of the metaparadigm of nursing are person, environment, nursing,
and health. Henderson states that there are four components to a person: biological,
psychological, sociological, and spiritual. Her components of nursing, listed in 14 statements,
are classified as the first eight being physiological, the ninth being protective, the tenth being
a psychological aspect of communicating and learning, the eleventh being spiritual and
moral, and the twelfth and thirteenth being sociologically oriented to occupation and
recreation (George, 2010). In relation to the second component of the metaparadigm,
environment, Henderson largely wrote about individuals, but only briefly mentioned the
effect of the community on one person. George (2010) states that Henderson thinks that
nurses need to act for individuals who cant do things for themselves, because that is what
society assumes of them. However, Henderson also believes that it is societys duty to the
nurses to provide them with quality education, which can only be obtained in a college or
university. In relation to the third aspect, nursing, Henderson felt that when educating a
future nurse, it is most beneficial to include all kinds of experiences so the program produces
a well-rounded nurse. She also fought for a more generalized teaching plan for nurses, stating
that it provides nurses with a better understanding of their patients (George, 2010). The final
component, health, Henderson defined health as based on the individuals ability to function
independently (George, 2010, p. 92). Henderson said that nurses should promote health and
curing and preventing disease (George, 2010). Also stated in her theory, Henderson believed
that age, cultural background, physical and intellectual capacities, and emotional balance
(George, 2010, p. 92) can have an effect on the health of the individual.

Nursing Theory, Concepts, and Propositions
Propositions:
Victoria Henderson had three major assumptions in her model of nursing and they are:
1. Nurses care for a patient until a patient can care for himself/herself.
2. Nurses are willing to serve and that nurses will devote themselves to the patient day and night.
3. Nurses should be educated at the college level in both sciences and arts (Nursing Theories,
2012).
Hendersons first definition of nursing was published in Bertha Harmers revised nursing
textbook in 1995 and according to George (2010) it states the following:
Nursing is primarily assisting the individual (sick or well) in the performance of
those activities contributing to health, or its recovery (or peaceful death) that he
would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge. It is
likewise the unique contribution of nursing to help the individual to be
independent of such assistance as soon as possible. (p. 89)
Theory
The components of this theory cover the physiological, psychological, spiritual, and social
aspects of nursing (Nursing Theories, 2012). Hendersons theory focuses on assisting individuals
with activities to maintain health, to recover from illnesses and to achieve a peaceful death by
concentrating on individual care. Henderson proposed 14 components of basic nursing care to
enhance her definition. George (2010) stated that the components are:
1. Breathe normally
2. Eat and drink adequately
3. Eliminate body wastes
4. Move and maintain desirable postures
5. Sleep and rest
6. Select suitable clothes-dress and undress
7. Maintain body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying the
environment
8. Keep the body clean and well groomed and protect the integument
9. Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others
10. Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions
11. Worship according to ones faith
12. Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment
13. Play or participate in various forms of recreation
14. Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the
available health facilities (p. 90)
Concepts
Henderson used the concepts of fundamental human needs, biophysiology, culture, and
interaction-communication to form her theory. For the biophysiological concept, Henderson
made known the importance of physiology and physiological balances in making decisions about
nursing care. Culture affects human needs and is learned from the family and other social groups.
Henderson involves the concept of interactions and communication in her writings. Henderson
believed that sensitivity to non-verbal communication is critical for the expression of feelings
and she states that all of these concepts are interrelated with one another (George, 2010).

Theorys implication to Nursing Practice, education and research
Virginia Hendersons Theory is very applicable to nursing practice, education, and research.
Practice: Throughout her nursing practice we see her work applying in any situation where a
person lacks the strength, will, or knowledge to perform those activities that contribute to
health, its recovery, or a peaceful death (George, 2010, p. 104). Hendersons 14 components
and definition of nursing directly applies to the nursing process. The 14 components are used to
assess the needs of human beings. The data that is collected can be compared to the known facts
of health and disease. It identifies individuals abilities to meet his/her own needs with or without
assistance, which can contribute to the nursing diagnoses. It establishes desired outcomes based
on the return to independence. It affects the planning portion because you will document how
the nurse can assist the individual, sick or well (George, 2010). The implementation component
is affected because the nurse will assist the sick or well individual and the family in the
performance of activities in meeting human needs to maintain health, recover from illness, or aid
in peaceful death. Implementation based on physiological principles, age, cultural background,
emotional balance, and physical and intellectual capacities. The nurse will carry out treatment
prescribed by the physician. During the evaluation phase the nurse will use the acceptable
definition of nursing and appropriate laws related to the practice of nursing. The nurse needs to
recognize if the person can now meet the basic human needs (George, 2010).
George (2010) stated that:
Henderson believed that the quality of care is drastically affected by the
preparation in native abilities of the nursing personnel rather than the
number of hours of care. Successful outcomes of nursing care are based
on the speed with which or the degree to which the patient performs
independently the activities of daily living that are normal to him. (p. 96)
Education: Virginia Henderson believed that nursing education should emphasize learning by
doing speedy performance, technical competence, and successful mastery of nursing procedures
such as catheterizations and making beds (George, 2010).
Research: Henderson also supported the application of research in nursing practice and
emphasized/encouraged it. She acknowledged that research is identified as one of the eight
processes nurses use in arriving at a valid reason for their actions (George, 2010, p. 105). She
saw the nursing process as a time consuming and inappropriate to use for minute by minute life
decisions. She believed that research is not a substitute for instinctive and intuitive reactions to
situations but that these reactions are influenced by the nurses knowledge of the sciences that
guide human behavior in the society of which nursing is an integral part (George, 2010). In
honor of Henderson, the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library at the Honor
Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International was named to acknowledge the global
impact she made on nursing research. The Henderson Repository remains aligned with Miss
Hendersons mission and vision for nursing research and education and still proudly bears
her name (Sigma Theta Tau International, 2014).

Summary
Virginia Henderson became interested in nursing during WW1 because she wanted to
help wounded soldiers. This prompted her to enroll in the Army School of Nursing. She
furthered her education at Teachers College, Columbia University where she ended up receiving
her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts Degree. Henderson went on to have a successful
nursing career which included components of nursing research and writing. Although her main
focus was on helping war victims and caring for wounded soldiers, she also worked as a
psychiatric and pediatric nurse as well as in the visiting nursing services.
Hendersons theory includes three major assumptions that are presented in her model of
nursing. These are that the nurse only cares for a patient until they get better, the nurse must
dedicate his or herself to the patient all the time, and nurses need to be educated at the college
level. Her definition of nursing is summarized as assisting the patient when they are sick or well
in activities that have to do with health, recovery, or to achieve a peaceful death. The
components of the theory cover the physiological, psychological, spiritual, and social aspects of
nursing. Henderson proposed 14 components of nursing care and used the concepts of human
needs, biophysiology, culture, and interaction-communication to form her theory.
Hendersons theory also connects to all four aspects of the metaparadigm: person,
environment, nursing, and health. Her 14 components can be divided up to cover the four
components of a person, while her connection to the environment details the expectations that
society and nurses have of each other. The nursing component connected to the idea of broader
education, and Henderson provided her own definition of health in relation to the final
component of the metaparadigm.
Virginia Henderson's theory is very applicable to nursing practice, education, and
research. One is able to see all of her 14 components directly apply to the nursing
process. Whether it be the assessment of the patient, identifying an individual's abilities to meet
needs without assistance in the nursing diagnosis portion, the planning portion because one will
document how the nurse can assist the individual, sick or well, the implementation portion
component because the nurse will assist the patient maintain health, recover from illness, or aid
in peaceful death, or the evaluation portion, all different portions of the nursing practice/process
are affected. Secondly, nursing education was effected because Henderson believed there should
be an emphasis on learning by doing speedy performance, technical competence, and successful
mastery of procedures. Lastly, this theory is applicable to nursing research because Henderson
believed that nurses have instinctive actions that cannot be replaced by research, but instead this
research influenced these reactions. Overall one can see that Henderson's Theory had a great
impact on nursing practice, education, and research.




References
American Association for the History of Nursing (2007). Virginia A. Henderson.Retrieved
from www.aahn.org/gravesites/henderson.html.
George, J.B. (2010). Nursing theories: The base for professional nursing
practice(6
th
ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Pearson.
Nursing Theories (2012). Virginia Hendersons Need Theory. Retrieved from
http://currentnursing.com/nursing.theory/Henderson.html.
Sigma Theta Tau International (2014). Virginia Henderson International Nursing e-
Repository. Retrieved from
http://www.nursinglibrary.org/vhl/pages/vhenderson.html.