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Defining the Metaparadigm of Nursing
The metaparadigm of nursing has four major concepts that establish direction and understanding in the nursing profession. The nursing metaparadigm includes knowledge base, philosophy, research, theory, practice, and educational experience (Nursing Theories, 2013). Nursing theories address the same four concepts: the person (the recipients of nursing care including individuals, families, and communities), the environment (the surroundings of the client internally and externally), health (the client’s state of well-being), and nursing itself (the action taken while providing care to a patient) (Friberg, 2011). These concepts should direct nursing practice within an organization and individual nurses’ practice.
Person
In developing my definition of person, I found myself agreeing with Watson’s and Leininger’s theories and models. From Leininger, a person is caring, a cultural being who perceives health, illness, caring, curing, dependence, and independence differently, and from Watson a person is seen as an entity that is non-reducible and is interconnected with others and nature (Friberg, 2011).
In my readings and considerations of what “person” means to me in nursing, I have concluded that to me every person is unique. Their health and sickness will be unique to them and their circumstance. Their illness will need to be cared for and in their illness they will be vulnerable which may change their ‘person’ for a time. Every family and every community is also uniquely different and needs to be embraced and recognized for that uniqueness. All need to be respected and each nurse needs be educated enough to recognize this in their practice and treat the person appropriately; not everyone can be treated the same, medically or personally. Person, health, and environment are entwined and do not exist solely without one another. A person has health whether good or bad and their
Bibliography: Nursing Theories. (2013, January 1/26/2013). Retrieved from Theoretical Models and Framework of Nursing: http://nursingtheories.info/metaparadigm-in-nursing/ Nursing Theorist. (2013, January 26). Retrieved from RNpedia.com : http://www.rnpedia.com/home/notes/fundamentals-of-nursing-notes/nursing-theorist Friberg, J. L. (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby. .