The Neuman System Model Models

The Neuman’s System Model prefaces the client or patient is seen as an open system, responsive to stressors within the environment which include these five variables:

Nursing theories have been a fundamental tool used to explain, guide and improve the practice of nursing. Theorists have contributed enormously to the growth of nursing as a profession. The four grand theorists I chose are Virginia Henderson, Peplau, Myra Levine and Jean Watson. These theorists have contributed tremendously in the field of nursing through their theories, and research. One thing the theorists have in common is that they are patient centered. They are all concerned on ways we can improve our responsibility to the patients, their families and the environment. They have different ideas but they are all aiming towards achieving the same goal, which is patient satisfaction and safety. Their differences are in their areas of

Nursing practice has revolutionized itself throughout the years. Today we realize the causes of current illnesses as complex and multifaceted (source). In past models, for instance the medical model, the approach was straightforward and neglected the patients active involvement in their care; the patient was viewed as the passive recipient and the doctor, an active agent that “fixed” their patients. ( source). New developed models since then, such as the biopsychosocial model, show us that care focuses on many factors. The model demonstrates understanding of how suffering, disease, and illness can be associated by many factors seen at the different levels in society and the medical sciences (source). Caring for each component is

Betty Neuman is a renowned nursing theorist who developed the Neuman System Model. This model emphasizes stress and the impact it can have on patients and nursing care. Key concepts of this theory include preventions, stressors, and lines of defense. Neuman also addresses the metaparadigms of nursing, health, human being, and environment in relation to her model. The Neuman System Model is recognized by nurses across the globe, and a Neuman System Practice Center has been established to help develop her theory (Gigliotti, 2012, p. 298). This theory can be utilized in any nursing care and is inspiration for other nursing theorists.

Florence Nightingale’s nursing theory is probably the most well known in the nursing profession. “Patients are to be put in the best condition for Nature to act on them. It is the responsibility of nurses to reduce noise, to relieve patients’ anxiety, and to help them sleep” (Theories of Florence Nightingale, 2012). This theory emphasizes that environmental factors and adaptation is the basis of holistic nursing care. This theory is important in my opinion because it ensures that the center of focus is on the patient. When patients are hospitalized making them comfortable in a new and strange environment is important to me. Eliminating noise at the nursing station and turning down the lighting in the hallways at night are just a few ways that nurses can improve the environmental factors surrounding patients. During hospitalizations I strive to eliminate any anxiety that my patient may be experiencing. Upcoming procedures and treatments can cause tremendous stress. Simply by providing sufficient information regarding treatments or procedures can be beneficial in reducing anxiety or

Throughout nursing, there are many theories that nurses may come across and use. Calista Roy’s and Betty Neuman are two theorists that use two different types of models to encompasses the health, person, and the environment. Callista Roy uses a theory that promotes adaptation to the stimuli a person may encounter. Betty Neuman uses a theory that promotes equilibrium in a time where a person will encounter stress. These theories allow the nurse to bring a knowledge to learn more about the person and the factors that influence their health. Although with any theory there are different approaches in how the nursing plan is done, but with the patient in mind, it makes the difference in care that is given and allows for better outcomes for the patient.

The Environmental Theory by Florence Nightingale defined Nursing as “the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery” (Alice Petiprin, 2014). It involves the nurse’s initiative to make environmental settings appropriate to aid in the recovery of the patient’s health. According to Nightingale all external factors are somehow associated with the patient and affects their life physically, mentally, and socially (Alice Petiprin, 2014).

The two theories that have helped to form my personal perspective on nursing are Erickson; and Rogers. Helen Erickson’s model is based on caring for an individual patient based on their own unique needs and perspective (Nursing Theories and Models, 2017). Erickson’s model took concepts from several other theorists such as Maslow, Padget, Seyle, and Lazarus and combined them to create a nursing model that takes care of each individual patient based on their needs ( Reed, 2017). This theory helps me to be more cognizant of the individual needs of my patient, not all patients regardless of disease process are the same. Each patient may have different underlying factors or circumstances that affect their health and current situation. Rogers’ theory is broader, viewing nursing as both an art and science, promoting health and wellbeing to patients regardless of where they are (Nursing Theories and Models, 2017). The science of nursing involves the knowledge and research of nursing, and the art is applying that science for the betterment of the patient. This theory views an individual as part

“The Neuman Systems Model is based on the patient's relationship to stress, reaction to it, and reconstitution factors that are dynamic. The Neuman Systems Model is universal in nature, which allows it to be adapted to a variety of situations.”  (Petiprin, 2016, para.7) The Neuman Systems model is best implemented when accompanied by the nursing process. The nursing includes, assessment of the patient, diagnosis of the patient, planning and setting goals for the patient, implementing the set goals, and evaluation to determine if the goals were met.

systems exist within this professional nursing practice model Compensatory system-nurse provides total care Partially compensatory system-nurse & patient share responsibility for care Educative-development

Nursing theories serve as thinking guides for nurses to follow in order to reach optimal outcomes for patients. Theories are applied in conjunction with experience one has gained and critical thinking in everyday nursing practice, research, and education. The Neuman Systems Model, which was created by Betty Neuman, is one example of a theory that has been in practice for decades and continues to be modified to reflect new research. When applying the NSM, the nurse focuses on identifying and preventing stressors which are factors that lead to fluctuations in the body that affect daily living.

The impact of nursing theories continues to provide a framework for guidance for patient centered care. Nurses continue to use these theories to provide beneficial knowledge in advancing their profession. Kearney-Nunnery (2012) describes the function of the conceptual model as a reference point and has been used to supply information to nursing scholars. One of these scholars that uses this model is Betty Neuman with the development of Neuman’s Systems Model. Neuman’s Systems Model refers to the individual, family, group and community as the client system and how they react when confronted with stress (Kearney-Nunnery, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding into to Neuman’s Systems Model, how it can improve patient care, and how it is used in nursing practices.

Orem describes how the patients self care needs will be meet by the nurse, patient, or both in her theory of nursing systems. “The design and elements of a nursing system defines the scope of nursing responsibility in health care situations, defines general and specific roles of nurses and patients, and defines reasons for nurses’ relationship with patients” (Current Nursing, 2010, para. 17). Orem recognized that members of the health profession usually develop specialized technologies. “A technology is systematized information about a process or a method for

Florence Nightingale developed the environmental model theory of nursing. Nery, (2015) states that Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory of nursing, “focus primarily on the environment, interpreted as all external conditions and influences that affect the life and development of an organism, that are able to prevent, suppress or contribute to disease and death.” The four metaparadigm concepts of this theory consist of person, environment, nursing, and health. Within this theory, the patient is being cared for by the nurse, has been influenced by the environment, and has reparative powers (“Nursing Theories, 2011). Nightingale’s theory does not have a clear definition of the person; however, it can be inferred that the person correlates “in relation to the environment and the impact of the environment on the person’s health status” (Butts & Rich, 2018). The highlight of Nightingale’s theory is the environment. Both the external and internal environment needs to be in sanitary conditions. The environment concept of this theory contains “physical, psychological, and social” factors (“Nursing Theories, 2011). The goal of the nurse is the control the patient’s environment to achieve ideal health for the patient. Nightingale’s theory did not define health; however, she stated that nature itself can heal ailments (Butts & Rich, 2018). Nightingale (1859) stated that health is ‘not only to be well, but able to use well every power we have to use it.”

Nursing is a complicated profession requiring a broad knowledge base, discipline, and a deep desire to understand and interpret scientific data with a goal of obtaining the best possible patient outcomes. This can be very difficult to achieve, requiring the nurse to process a variety of information, prioritize, and problem solve at a critical level (Wilkinson, Treas, Barnett, Smith, 2016). The nursing process is a scientific approach, utilized by nurses to systematically improve patient care by following five steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation (Wilkinson et al., 2016). A good nurse is someone who understands these phases, continues to build on them, and uses the information to create the best possible, individualized, healthcare plan for the patient. It is a mastery of art to find a way to include all of these concepts with so many diverse medical diagnoses. Having a structural way, such as the nursing process, paves a strong foundation for the nurse to maintain a patient centered approach to implement exceptional nursing care (Goncalves, Spiri, Ortolan, 2017).