The Health Promotion Model By Nola Pender

NTF #3: There are many nursing theories that influence the practice of health care practitioners today. The Health Promotion Model and the Symphonological Bioethical Theories are similar and different. However, they are both important theories, which will be compared and contrasted in the following sections. Developed by Nola J. Pender, the Health Promotion Model is a theory that a health related action is the result of multiple factors coming together to affect that individual’s choice of behavior. It is the combination of personal biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that determine the type of health decisions a person will make (Sakraida, 2010).

Health promotion includes providing activities that improve a person’s health. These activities assist patients to “maintain or enhance their present levels of health. Health promotion activities motivate people to act positively to reach more stable levels of health” (Potter & Perry, 2005, p. 97). In order for nurses to assist patients in obtaining healthy lifestyles, they must first assess a patient’s perception of health. The World Health Organization defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (as cited in Potter & Perry, 2005, p. 91). There are many nursing theories that are based on an individual’s perception of health. This paper will

Finkelman, A. (2013) Health promotion, Disease Prevention, and Illness: A community Perspective.. In Professional Nursing Concepts (Second ed., pp 201-227). Burlington: Jones & Bartlet Learning.

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986, defined Health Promotion as being ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health’. There are three key approaches to HP. The first one looks at population subgroups. It is well documented that not all cultures view health as a prime goal. For example, an addict will chose to facilitate his habit over basic sanitary and physical necessities. The ‘population subgroup’ approach looks to focus on targeted solutions for smaller groups

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health promotion as “The process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions.”

An approach helps the promoter to make decisions on how they will approach the clients in giving the information needed for that certain approach (Naidoo & Wills, 2004). An approach will “determine the diversity in concept of health, influence of health and ways of measuring health lead” (Naidoo & Wills, 2004). Each approaches have different aims, methods and means of evaluation as well as different objectives on preventing diseases (Ewles & Simnet, 2003), ensuring the people or clients are well informed and are able to make their own health choice, help the client to acquire their own skill and confidence to “take greater control over their health” (Naidoo & Wills, 2004) and to be able to change policies and environments in order to facilitate healthy choices (Naidoo & Wills, 2004).

Health promotion is an important aspect of health care behaviors. As health care providers, we will find ourselves finding a lot of time and effort in educating to promote healthy living behaviors. To obtain the successful result of health promoting behaviors, adequate efforts much be from patients as well as health care providers (Dunphy, Winland-Brown, Porter, & Thomas, 2015).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) identified that health promotion was a way of equipping people to have more power enabling them to make choices in regard to improving their well-being (WHO 1986). Ewles and Simnett (2003) determine from this, that the fundamental elements of health promotion

Health promotion (HP) is a multi-dimensional and complex concept which the researcher is frequently used and defined in different ways. One of the nursing roles for nurses is the promoter of health; therefore it would be useful to attempt to clarify the concept. This article develops a concept analysis is to clarify the meaning of an existing concept of HP using the process developed by Pender, Murdaugh, and Parsons (2006). The method suggested by Walker and Avant guided this concept analysis. Attributes, model cases, antecedents and consequences, and empirical references are described. The implications for further research are also described.

Health promotion utilises theories and models to guide practice. A theory is the general principles of a framework of ideas in regards to a particular topic. (Merriam-webster.com, 2016) A model is a set plan of action based on theoretical ideas to achieve a set goal. (Merriam-webster.com, 2016)

The World Health Organisation - WHO (2015) defines Health Promotion as fundamental discipline in disease prevention through social /environmental intervention, health education and behaviour change towards health. This description coincides with Dahlgren and Whitehead’s Social Determinants of Health (1992) where the individual’s health is not only limited to medical factors but it is largely influenced by lifestyle – rooting from its social factors from familial, societal to national level. In this regard, the vital role of the nurse as a health promotion practitioner is to uphold individual’s autonomy by increasing their knowledge about how the body functions to prevent diseases and making them aware of how the healthcare

The main purpose of health promotion is to heighten people’s motivation to strive for optimal health, while assisting them in making lifestyle modifications that will help them advance their wellbeing to an ideal state. Modifications of the unfavorable way of living can be enabled through a

Nurses implement health promotion strategies in a variety of ways. Due to the high level of credibility nurse’s have with their patients, they greatly influence their patients with their passion. By emphasizing health promotion strategies such as self-responsibility, proper nutrition, exercise and stress management, nurses plant the seeds of wellness in the minds of their patients. While ultimately, it is up to the individual to make healthy changes in their lives, the role of the nurse practitioner plays a huge role in motivating individuals to adopt healthy habits.

“The major goals of health promotion are to help people of all ages stay healthy, optimize health in cases of chronic disease or disability, and create healthy environments” (Pender et al., 2015). This health promotion project is designed to identify and reduce the risk factors associated with several illnesses and disease processes. This project will focus on changing lifestyle behaviors and providing up to date education for the patient to make the best informed decision regarding her environment, health behaviors, and developing a support system with her primary care physician.

The health promotion model is a theory of nursing that was developed by Dr. Nola Pender. Her theory was first proposed in 1982 and then revised in 1996. Dr. Pender was influenced by the work of James Hall, who studied people’s behavior and its correlation to health. Her work is a middle-range theory, as there are specific concepts that are observable, that she designed to be a counterpart to models of health protection in which health is simply viewed as the absence of illness. Pender’s theory was critiqued using the criteria from Fawcett (2005). Although there are limitations to Pender’s health promotion model, her theory is the best to use in nursing as it focuses on the promotion of individualized optimal health and produces increased positive outcomes.