Nursing theory is essential and has been a component of nursing care since Nightingale’s time. Nursing theory is used to guide and direct nursing practice across the nursing spectrum. Clinical nurse specialist’s (CNS), have the ability to incorporate nursing theory into the care provided to patients and families. There are many nursing theories available to integrate into practice, with the goal of improving patient care and system functioning. This paper will discuss the concepts of Roy’s theory of adaptation, apply the theory to the direct caregiver role, the consultation role and the coaching role of the CNS.
Concepts of Theory Sister Callista Roy developed the theory of adaptation in …show more content…
The regulator coping subsystem responds automatically through chemical, endocrine and neural coping channels (Gonzalo, 2011). Although the regulator coping subsystem responds automatically, the direct nursing care in the form of medication and fluid administration can manipulate this automatic system. The physiologic basic needs of oxygenation, fluid and electrolyte balance is a component of adaptation through the regulator coping subsystem (Roy, 1984). For example, a patient admitted to the intensive care with pneumonia can have their care positively or negatively impacted by direct nursing care. Imagine the difference in patient outcomes with a timely administration of antibiotics and one where the antibiotics are delayed by nursing care; the adaptation ability of the patient is adversely affected. The delay in antibiotics by nursing affects the environment, which affects, health and ultimately the patient. Directly managing each patient in regards to their individual needs will address the basic needs component of the regulator coping subsystem. Minimizing oscillations in the physiologic needs will provide maximum adaptation potential (Cypress, 2011). The CNS may not provide the direct care, but with advanced education, the CNS is able to focus the staff nurses on the proper care of patients with specific disease …show more content…
Disease generates the unknown and the ensuing stressful experiences hamper the development of adaptation. In such situations, an individual can only solve the problem and facilitate adaptation to the new condition by adopting a new identity with the disease as a focal point (Akyil & Ergüney, 2013). Coaching and teaching the families and patients can manipulate a patient’s adaptation to a disease process or diagnosis. An example would be speaking with a patient and their family regarding their chronic disease. Individuals facing a threatening diagnosis start looking for knowledge to interpret the disease in an objective fashion to learn to cope with it effectively (Akyil & Ergüney, 2013). The unique knowledge the CNS has in the disease enables effective communication meeting the need for knowledge by the patient and family. Maturity in the skill of nursing prepares a CNS to generate tactics to provide specialty based coaching (Spross & Babine, 2014). Coaching provides an opportunity for CNS’s to guide patients and staff to create improved wellness environments. In this example, the CNS in the coaching role directly assists in the psychosocial development of coping and eventual adaptation of person to life with a chronic disease via modifications in health and