Theory / Author Name And Background

Middle range theories “lie between the grand nursing models and more circumscribed, concrete ideas” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 37). There are numerous middle range theories specifically created for the nursing profession. These theories serve to guide nurses in their nursing duties, offering insight into an abundance of topics ranging from objective, fact-based data to the more subjective, personalized material. Each middle range theory can be further grouped into four subgroups; descriptive, explanatory, predictive, and prescriptive. Descriptive theories describe and examine major ideas. The purpose of a descriptive theory is not to link one concept to another, but rather to simply study the perceivable philosophy. In comparison, explanatory

When reflecting on current trends of clinical practice, I feel that middle-range theories are more applicable. Middle-range theories are broad enough to incorporate in everyday clinical practice for the average floor nurse without being too narrow in scope as the situation-specific theories. Additionally, middle-range theories are less abstract than grand theories and are easier to relate to and put into practice (Liehr & Smith, 1999, p. 85).

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.

A theory encompasses a cluster of concepts which descried a set or pattern of reality (Taylor, Lillis, Lynn, 2011, p. 27). A set of concepts that follow a logical pattern makes up a model (Taylor, et al., 2011, p. 27). The model makes up a set of steps which follow a blue print that tells an individual what the next step should be (Taylor, et al., 2011, p. 27). Nursing theories are ones that are specific to the nursing career field and allows nursing to be established as its own professional entity similar to the medical doctor profession (Taylor, et al., 2011, p. 27). Nursing theories are used in research to determine the best means of improving care of patients in the health care system (Taylor, et al., 2011, p.27). These theories describe,

“The main purpose of the journal is to publish original manuscripts focusing on nursing theory development, nursing theory--guided practice, and quantitative and qualitative research related to existing nursing frameworks” (Ovid, 2008, p. 1).

To this end, I believe middle-range theories are best suited to advance nursing knowledge and practice in the 21st century. “Middle-range theories are at those levels of conceptualization that could inform nursing practice and research, and thus continue the cycle of advancing foundational knowledge and enhancing quality care”, (Meleis, 2012). Middle-range theories were created to help the nursing profession realize its overall mission and goal, now and in the future; to alleviate pain, suffering and distress, as well as promote health-seeking behaviors which will lead to improved health outcomes and attainable goals. Because middle-range theories lie in the middle of grand theories and situation specific theories, they are directed more toward specific interventions that can be implemented at the ‘bedside’. As such, they are designed to provide frameworks to manage patients’ experiences with symptoms, as well as the ability to understand responses to health and illness phenomenon.

Fundamentals of Nursing defines nursing theory as that which “ differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities by serving the purpose of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing practices.” (Taylor, Lillis, LeMone, & Lynn, 2011,G-14). The focus of this paper will be the Neuman Systems Model and its impact on the world of nursing. Neuman believed that health was living energy that is evaluated by the amount of agreement between five variables (physiological, psychological, spiritual, sociocultural, and developmental) and the dynamics of basic systems. Wellness, assessed by how much energy was spent on getting, keeping,

Betty Neuman was one of the many Nursing Theorist who impacted the Nursing profession in a way that would encourage Nurse’s to symbolize what we are today. Betty believed in the taking the total approach to healthcare seeing the whole picture when dealing with a patient. Betty Neuman was a very brave motivated Nurse in her day. She went from an Associates Degree Nurse to her BSN; finishing with two separate Doctorate Degrees in 1998. Betty was not afraid to step away from the normal day to day work that went along with being a nurse; and chose to try her best to find ways to be better than average. She realized over forty years ago the importance of seeing the patient as a whole, and not just focusing on the negative issues the

Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed

Neuman’s theory also expresses the need for a nurse’s perception to be tested as well, to ensure the best care plan is implemented for a patient. 2. Background- Provide a description of the background of the theorist, such as life experiences, beliefs, and education. Born in Lowell, Ohio 1924, Betty Neuman began her journey to eventually become known as the pioneer for her nursing involvement and systems model development.

Betty Neuman was born in 1924 near Lowell, Ohio. She received her RN diploma form Peoples Hospital School of Nursing in Akron, Ohio. Later, received a bachelor degree in nursing from UCLA. In 1966, she received her master’s degree in mental health, and public health consultation from UCLA. In 1970, she developed the Neuman’s System Model at the University of California, Los Angeles, it was used to teach total person approach to understand patients’ problems individually. Neuman believed that nursing requires a holistic approach that considers all factors affecting a client’s health, physiologic, mental, social cultural development, and spiritual well-being.

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.

Nursing theories form the supportive framework on which our patient care relies on (Alejandro, 2017). It is not only the foundation of the nursing discipline but, it defines of we practice. If nurses lack that foundation, new knowledge development within nursing will decline. They are very important for Masters and advanced practice nursing students who are preparing to

In 1972,.Betty Neuman introduced her systems model that tackles holistic view of patients. One of its main ideas is stress reduction in improving the wellness of the individual. As a nurse, we recognize and consider the role of stress in the recovery of our clients. Neuman also introduced the levels of preventions that we use today. They are the integral parts of contemporary nursing process.

The theorist Betty Neuman explains how the whole system affects the patient’s health and shows how the nurses are responsible for the social, mental, spiritual, physical and emotional state of the patient and not only the physical aspect. With the theory nursing students, nurses and other professionals are able to provide effective systematic nursing care to their patient using the system model. Furthermore, her ideas give the importance on how to give the right care through a stressful situations and gives knowledge and development to the science of nursing. She also to coping with unexpected situations through three prevention levels which are the primary prevention, secondary prevention, and the tertiary prevention. Generally, I choose this model because I see how it depicts the nurse as an active participant with the patient and as a concerned with all the variables affecting the patients response to stressors. The Betty Neuman theory reflects health