Nursing Theories: A Framework For Professional Practice
First, Masters (2012), in her book ‘Nursing Theories: A framework for professional practice’ describes a person as “individuals, families, communities and other groups who are participants in nursing” (Masters, K, 2012, P3). This statement refers to patients as individuals in need of the care of nurses. In fact, these individuals can have very complex needs and health problems requiring specialized and attentive care to facilitate healing and improvement of their condition. The term patient can represent a multitude of different individuals with different cultures, beliefs and practices concerning medicine, and varied needs/health conditions.
Environment
Masters (2012) goes on in her book to describe the metaparadigm environments as “human
beings significant others and physical surrounding as well as local, regional, national and worldwide cultural, social, political, and economic conditions that are associated with human beings’ health” (Masters, K, 2012, P3). The environment is basically the surrounding area around the nurse and the patient whether it is in the doctor’s office, a hospital room, or out in a clinic. The environment can greatly impact the nurse and patient and affect them both if it is not conducive to the desired atmosphere needed to facilitate healing and promote a strong nurse-patient relationship. Aspects in the environments such as light, noise or space are just a few of these factors than can negatively impact nurses and patients.
Health
The concept of health can be defined differently depending on the viewpoint of those who are defining it. Many view health simply as the absence of sickness. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines health as “the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially: freedom from physical disease or pain” (Merriam-Webster, 2015). Masters (2011) defines health as the “human processes of living or dying” (Masters, K, 2012, P3). This is a vague description regarding the complexities that are involved with the term health. From a personal viewpoint, health is an optimal level of both physical and mental wellbeing where the individual is able to function and carry out routine tasks without difficulty. The state of health also includes the perception of what the individual experiencing it is and includes social, cultural, and spiritual factors that may be important to them. As each individual patient who seeks care is different and is influenced by these factors, so is their own unique perception of health.
Environment
Masters (2012) goes on in her book to describe the metaparadigm environments as “human
beings significant others and physical surrounding as well as local, regional, national and worldwide cultural, social, political, and economic conditions that are associated with human beings’ health” (Masters, K, 2012, P3). The environment is basically the surrounding area around the nurse and the patient whether it is in the doctor’s office, a hospital room, or out in a clinic. The environment can greatly impact the nurse and patient and affect them both if it is not conducive to the desired atmosphere needed to facilitate healing and promote a strong nurse-patient relationship. Aspects in the environments such as light, noise or space are just a few of these factors than can negatively impact nurses and patients.
Health
The concept of health can be defined differently depending on the viewpoint of those who are defining it. Many view health simply as the absence of sickness. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines health as “the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially: freedom from physical disease or pain” (Merriam-Webster, 2015). Masters (2011) defines health as the “human processes of living or dying” (Masters, K, 2012, P3). This is a vague description regarding the complexities that are involved with the term health. From a personal viewpoint, health is an optimal level of both physical and mental wellbeing where the individual is able to function and carry out routine tasks without difficulty. The state of health also includes the perception of what the individual experiencing it is and includes social, cultural, and spiritual factors that may be important to them. As each individual patient who seeks care is different and is influenced by these factors, so is their own unique perception of health.