Concordia
Can A Person With Chronic Arthritis be considered healthy?
Arthritis is the leading chronic condition for older adults and the leading cause of disability in the United States. Spirituality is recognized as having significant potential to assist individuals in health adaptation. Spirituality and health perception are significantly correlated. Several ways in which spirituality positively affect health include: promoting a sense of relatedness, providing purpose or meaning in life, having a stress-buffering effect, and fostering well being. According to The Neumans System Model (1989) Neuman asserted that the spirit influences the mind, and the mind influences the body. Neuman’s concept of the psychological variable, which is composed of one’s own mental processes and relationships helps to examine the adaptive cognitive and behavioral skills in an individual.
Concentric circles surrounding the basic structure include the flexible line of defense, normal line of defense, and the line of resistance. The flexible line of defense is a protective buffer and protects the client system from stressor invasions, such as arthritis impact. The normal line of defense is the usual level of wellness for the client system, and it reacts to any invasion to the system that is not sufficiently protected by the flexible line of defense. The normal line of resistance has an expanding and contracting ability that may allow a client system to maintain normal wellness or return to normal wellness under stress. (Neuman,1999)
The philosophy of the Concordia University Department of Nursing (1999) is consistent in their belief that the evidence of wellness is in the individual’s ability to react effectively to stressors, to perceive reality, and to display a coherent and integrated personality thereby maintaining system stability.
In conclusion, it is possible based on Concordia University of Wisconsin nursing philosophy and Neuman System’s framework for a spiritual person with chronic arthritis to react effectively to stress and be considered healthy.
References
Concordia University Department Of Nursing (1999). Nursing Philosophy.
Neuman, B., & Fawcett, J. (Eds.). (2002). The Neuman Systems Model (4th ed.).
References: Concordia University Department Of Nursing (1999). Nursing Philosophy. Neuman, B., & Fawcett, J. (Eds.). (2002). The Neuman Systems Model (4th ed.).