MARTHA E.

ROGER’S-
SCIENCE OF UNITARY
HUMAN BEING
•Guided by
Mrs. Sunita Sharma
•Presented by
Yogita
M.Sc.Nursing 1st year.
 Martha Elizabeth Rogers
(1914-1994)
 1936- Nursing Diploma from Knoxville General
Hospital School of Nursing.
 1937- B.S.Nursing from George
Peabody College, Tenessee.
 1945- MA in Public Health Nursing,
Columbia University, New York.
 1954- Sc.D. Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore.
 1952-1975- Professor & Head of Division of Nursing
at New York University.
 Cont…
 Proponent of rigorous scientific study.
 1961- Educational revolution in nursing.
 1964- ‘Reveille in Nursing’ 2nd book
published.
 1970- ‘An Introduction to Theoretical Basis
of Nursing’.
 Publications of Martha E. Rogers
 Theoretical Basis of Nursing(1970).
 Nursing science
& art: A Prospective(1988).
 Nursing: science of Unitary,
Irreducible, Human Beings
update(1990).
 Vision of space
based nursing(1990).
ROGER’S NURSING THEORY
Nursing is Irreducible
nature of
both a
individuals is
science & different from
an art sum of the
parts
Roger’s
Nursing
Theory
Purpose of
Nurse: to Integralness
promote of people &
health & environment:
the identity
well being Nurses concerned of nursing as
with people & world a science
& live in close
contact with
people,
environment
Evolution of Abstract System
Development was strongly
influenced by early
grounding of arts,
background of science &
her interest in space
Originated as synthesis of
facts & ideas from multiple
sources of knowledge

Uniqueness is in central
phenomenon: people &
environment

Rogerian view of casuality

emerges from infinite
universe of open system
 Concepts of Roger’s Model
 In 1970, assumptions or ‘Building Blocks’
for Conceptual Framework were:
 Wholeness
 Openness
 Uni- directionality
 Pattern & Organization
 Sentience & Thought
 Concepts of Roger’s Model
(contd.)
 In 1983, she postulated 4 Building Blocks:
 Energy Field.
 Universe of open system.
 Pattern .
 Four Dimentionality which converted to
Pandimentionality(1992).
In 1983, Unitary man was converted to
Unitary Human Being.
Concepts of Roger’s Model
(contd.)
ENERGY FIELD

 Field-unifying concept &

Energy – dynamic nature of field
 Constitute both living & non living fundamental
unit.
 Energy field are infinite & pan dimensional.
 Two fields are identified:

Human field Environmental field

 ENERGY FIELD(contd.):
 Human field: also called
Unitary Human Being
Defined as “ an irreducible,
indivisible, pan-dimensional
energy field identified by
pattern & manifesting
characteristics that are
specific to the whole &
that cannot be predicted
from knowledge of the parts”.
 ENERGY FIELD(contd.):

 Environmental field:
Defined as “an irreducible, pan-
dimensional energy field identified by pattern
& integral with the human field. Each
Environmental Field is specific to its given
Human Field. Both change continuously,
creatively & integrally”.
 UNIVERSE OF OPEN
SYSTEM
 Describes the open nature of the fields, which
allows for an interchange of energy & matter
between the fields
 Is a “continuous process” without mention of
energy or matter.
 PATTERN

 Is the “distinguishing
characteristic of the
energy field perceived
as a single wave, which
gives identity to field”.
 Human behavior can be
regarded as ‘manifestation of changing pattern’.
 May be regarded as an indication of pain, illness or
disease.
 PANDIMENTIONALITY

 Describes ‘a non linear domain without spatial or

temporal attributes’
 ‘An infinite domain without limit’.
Over view of Rogerian Model
Provides way of Human are
viewing the unitary viewed as integral
Human Being with environment

Unitary Human Being

& Environment are
one.

Field patterning
Nurses focus on people
manifestations are
& manifestations due to
observable
human/environmental
events.
field process
Over view of Rogerian Model
(contd.)
Identification of Basic
pattern provide characteristics:
knowledge & Energy field,
understanding of openness, pattern,
human experience pandimentionality

Basic concepts: Change of pattern

Unitary human being, & organization of
environment, human field &
Homeodynamic environmental
principles field is propagated
by waves
Meta Paradigms or
Major Assumptions

Person
Environment

Health

Nursing
 Meta Paradigms (contd.)
PERSON

 Inearly writings, person was called ‘man’, then

unitary man, finally called ‘Unitary Human
Being’.
 Defined as “ an irreducible, indivisible, pan-
dimensional energy field identified by pattern &
manifesting characteristics that are specific to
whole & cannot be predicted from the parts”.
 PERSON(contd.)

 Regarded as ‘an open system’ & in continuous

interaction with environment.
 In addition, there is only one person ,
characterized by one particular wave pattern
manifestation.
 Person is more than the sum of the parts &
cannot even be effectively divided.
 Physical body does not constitute a human
body.
 ENVIRONMENT

 Defined Environment as
“An irreducible, pan dimensional energy field
identified by pattern & manifesting the
characteristic different from those of the parts.
Each environment field is specific to its given
human field. Both change continuously and
creatively.”
 ENVIRONMENT

 Roger defined: Environment as being in constant

interaction with the person or human field pattern
manifestation.
 A wave pattern manifestation.
 Pattern is defined as an “abstraction”. It gives
identity to the field & nature of pattern changes
continuously.
 Each human field pattern is unique & is integral
with its own unique environmental field pattern.
 HEALTH

 Not defined by Rogers.

 Uses the term ‘passive health’ to symbolize
wellness & absence of disease & major illness.
 Meleis has stated that Rogers believed that
‘labels of problems & illness are tentative &
based on societal definitions’.
 HEALTH(contd.)

 According to Phillps,
“Health is participation in the life process by
choosing & executing behaviors that lead to the
optimum fulfillment of a person’s potentials” &
 “Health is a rhythmic patterning of energy that is
mutually enhancing & expresses full life
potentials”.
 NURSING

 Rogers stated Nursing

“As a science , designates the term nursing as
a noun & signifies that nursing is an organized
body of abstract knowledge. Traditionally,
the term has been used as a verb.
Nursing, the science noun, indicates
that there is a body of knowledge
specific to nursing”.
 NURSING(contd.)

 Rogers in 1990 stated that

“Nursing seeks to promote symphonic
interaction between the environment & man, to
strengthen the coherence & integrity of the
human beings & to direct & redirect patterns of
interaction between man & his environment for
the realization of maximum health potential”.
Hemodynamic principles
PRINCIPLES
Postulate the way
of perceiving
‘Unitary
Human Being’
 PRINCIPLES (contd.)
RESONANCE

 “Is an ordered arrangement of rhythm

characterizing both human field & environmental
field that undergoes continuous dynamic
metamorphosis in the human environmental
process”.
 PRINCIPLES (contd.)

HELICY

 Describes the unpredictable, but continuous,

non linear evolution of energy fields as
evidenced by non-repeating rhythmic ties.
 Postulates an ordering of human’s evolutionary
emergence.
 PRINCIPLES(contd.)
INTEGRALITY

 Includes mutual, continuous relationship of human

energy field & environmental field.
 Changes occur by continuous
re-patterning of human &
environmental fields.
 Fields are one & integrated
but unique to each other.
 Theory of accelerating evolutions

 Evolutionary change is speeding up

 Range of diversity of life process is widening
 She explained that ‘Higher wave frequencies
are associated with accelerating human
development’
 Theory of Rhythmicity

 Focus on human field rhythms

 These rhythms are different from biological,
psychological rhythms
 Deals with manifestation of whole unitary man
 Theory of paranormal phenomenon

 Focus on
precognition,
clairvoyance,
telepathy &
therapeutic touch

 Noseparation
between human
& environmental fields
 ROGER’S CONCEPTS OF
NURSING
Nursing is a learned
profession: Science, Art
& Space
Study of unitary human &
environmental energy field

Art of nursing involves

imaginative & creative use
of nursing knowledge

Nurse has to promote health

& well being of all person &
group
ROGER’S CONCEPTS OF
NURSING(contd.)
Health services should
be community based
Nursing aims to assist
people in achieving
their maximum potential

Roger challenged nurses to

consider nursing needs of all
people, including future
generation of spacekind

Provides a different world

view that encompasses a
practice of nursing for present
& future time
CONTRIBUTION TO NURSING
KNOWLEDGE
 First Nurse Scholar to identify person as central
phenomena of nursing concern
 Nursing abstract system is a matrix of concepts
relevant to life process in man
 Roger’s Model is used as a guide for theory
development, research, nursing education &
direct patient care practice
Applications of the
theory
 In Nursing Research

 Requires both basic & applied research

 Phenomenon to be studied are unitary human
being & their environmental interactions
 Study participants may be any person or group
In Nursing Education
In Nursing Administration
Nursing Practice
 Nursing Practice

 Not applicable in OPERATION THEATRES

Nursing Process
 Critique
 POSITIVE ASPECTS
 Conceptual model is abstract & powerful
 Broader in scope
 Basis for the development of grand & middle
range theories- Newman’s Health Expanding
Consciousness
-Parse’s Human Becoming
Model
 Critique
 NEGATIVE ASPECTS
 Does not do justice to the considerable amount of
work that has been performed in its development &
exploration, nor does it critically analyze the logical or
academic adequacy of work
 Less focus on health & nursing
 Relationship among four concepts lacks clarity
 Whether it is a model, a theory or a philosophy for
nursing practice
 A philosophy, Model or
Theory?

 A philosophy is a ‘statement of beliefs & values

about human beings & their world’
 It reflects values, goals or opinions & is an
‘investigation of causes & laws underlying reality’
based on logical inquiry
 Does not meets with the criteria of philosophy
 A philosophy, Model or
Theory? (contd.)

 A model is defined as something that cannot be

observed in the world, a general & abstract set
of concepts & propositions that are not
‘amenable to direct empirical observation or test’
 A philosophy, Model or
Theory? (contd.)
 A theory is less abstract than a model, with
concepts being operationally defined & less
abstract than the concepts described in nursing
model
 Closely tied to particular individuals, groups,
situations or events & address specific &
concrete phenomenon.
 A philosophy, Model or
Theory? (contd.)

 Rogers called Science of Unitary Human Being

as ‘a conceptual framework’.
 This would seems that the science of unitary
Human Being is accurately called as ‘Model of
Nursing or Nursing Model’.
 A philosophy, Model or
Theory? (contd.)
 Rogers model is an abstract system of ideas but
is applicable to practice with nursing care
focused on pattern appraisal & patterning
activities.
 Related studies
S.No. Year Researcher Research Findings
1. Apr’2000 Hagemaster, Julia Use of Use of therapeutic
therapeutic touch touch is effective in
in treatment of prolonging period
drug addiction of abstinence from
alcohol & other
drug abusers.
 Related studies(contd.)

S.No. Year Researcher Research Findings

2) Apr’ 2004 Barbara W. Examine the A positive

Wright relationship between relationship is
trust & power. present between
trust & power.
 Related studies (contd.)
S.No. Year Researcher Research Findings

3) Jan’ 2005 Sarah Hall The Well Development &

Gueldner & co- Being Picture psychometric properties
workers Scale: A of Well Being Picture
Revision of Scale, a 10 item non
the Index of language based pictorial
Field Energy scale that measures
general Well Being,
based on Martha Rogers’
view of Human Being as
energy fields in continual
mutual process with heir
environment.
 Related studies (contd.)
S. No. Year Researcher Research Findings

4. July 2004 Wendy A. Patterning of Pain Treatment group’s pain

Lewandowski. & Power with decreased during the
Guided Imagery last 2 days of the study.
But no differences in
power emerged. Guided
Imagery appeared to
have potential as a
useful nursing modality
for chronic pain
sufferers
  References:

 Margaret Ruddy; Model & Theories of Nursing;

Cardinal Stritch University Library; 2007; p. 34-
35.
 Tomey, A.M. & Alligood,M.R.; Nursing Theorist
& their work; 5th edition; 2006; p. 226-249.
 http://www.googles.com/current nursing; nursing
theory .html.
 http://www.googles.com/current nursing;Vietnam
Nurses Forum, mhtml.
 http://www.googles.com/current nursing;Martha E
Rogers, the creation of the SUHB
 Yarcheski Adela, Mahon Noreen E.,Thomas J.
Yarcheski; Health & Well Being in Early Adolescents;
Nursing Science Quaterly, Vol 17 No.1, Jan 2004,72-77.
 Wendy A. Lewandowski; Patterning of Pain & Power with
Guided Imagery; Nursing Science Quaterly, Vol 17 No.3,
July 2004,233-241.
 Barbara W. Wright; Trust & Power in Adults;Nursing
Science Quaterly, Vol 17 No.2, April 2004,139-146.
 Sarah Hall Gueldner, Chin Fang Liu, & co-workers,
Nursing science Quarterly, Vol 18, No.1, Jan 2005, 42-
50.