According to Allingwood (2014), “a nurse expands professional power when theoretical research is utilized as efficient evidence for analyzing and decision making” (p.11). Moreover, nurses render quality nursing care when they applied a method to practice (Allingwood, 2014 p.11). The main focus of nursing is to improve patient’s health and healing through caring. Thus, nurses not only play a significant role to assist patient regain their wholeness or to adapt to their ‘new’ normal way of living but also makes the profession unique to other health care team. The idea of this paper is to discuss a comprehensive summary of Virginia Henderson’s Need Theory which is relevant to my nursing practice in a long term care facility. To begin with,
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Identically, Henderson’s need theory coincides with the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs (Vera, 2014). In addition, the theorist core concept is client-centered care. She specified nursing role as helping patients with intrinsic implementation to maintain health, to recover or to obtain peaceful death (Allingwood, 2014 p.45). By the same token, Meleis (2007) specifically explained that the first nine (9) components of Henderson’s Theory are physiological, the 10th and 14th focus on psychological aspects, the 11th concept is under spiritual and moral, and the 12th and 13th more on social or belongingness. Thus, George (2010) said that Henderson’s theory used vital concepts of basic human needs, physiologically, culture and interaction-communication, which made the theory a strong impact and analysis pertaining to client-centered care. In the long term care facility, Henderson’s Need Theory is applicable to nursing practice. For example, the first nine (9) principles of Henderson’s theory focuses more on physiological needs, is applicable to my current clinical placement since most of our clients are on palliative care and most of them cannot verbalize their needs, as a nurse monitoring their intake and output, weekly skin assessment, and assisting in wound care is very important. As a matter of fact, the institution uses a specialized tool to monitor clients so it can assist nurses when to report any untoward changes of the
Identically, Henderson’s need theory coincides with the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs (Vera, 2014). In addition, the theorist core concept is client-centered care. She specified nursing role as helping patients with intrinsic implementation to maintain health, to recover or to obtain peaceful death (Allingwood, 2014 p.45). By the same token, Meleis (2007) specifically explained that the first nine (9) components of Henderson’s Theory are physiological, the 10th and 14th focus on psychological aspects, the 11th concept is under spiritual and moral, and the 12th and 13th more on social or belongingness. Thus, George (2010) said that Henderson’s theory used vital concepts of basic human needs, physiologically, culture and interaction-communication, which made the theory a strong impact and analysis pertaining to client-centered care. In the long term care facility, Henderson’s Need Theory is applicable to nursing practice. For example, the first nine (9) principles of Henderson’s theory focuses more on physiological needs, is applicable to my current clinical placement since most of our clients are on palliative care and most of them cannot verbalize their needs, as a nurse monitoring their intake and output, weekly skin assessment, and assisting in wound care is very important. As a matter of fact, the institution uses a specialized tool to monitor clients so it can assist nurses when to report any untoward changes of the