Theory Of Health As Expanding Consciousness
Introduction* – complete; clear statement of paper purpose; identification of theory & theorist; statement of paper content.
*No Introduction Heading as per APA 6th Edition
10
• The theory of health as expanding consciousness stems from Rogers' theory of unitary human beings.
• The theory of health as expanding consciousness was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible, (Newman, 2010).
• The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease, (Newman, 2010).
• The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding …show more content…
consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world, (Newman, 2010).
• The health of a human being is a unitary phenomenon, an evolving pattern of human-environment (Rogers, 1970).
• Life is a process of expanding consciousness. Consciousness is the informational capacity of the system and can be seen in the quality of interaction of the system with the environment (Bentov, 1978).
• The explicate order is a manifestation of the implicate order (Bohm, 1980).
Theory Assessment 35
Theory Purpose (complete & clear; purpose & sub-purposes) (10)
• “The theory of health as expanding consciousness (HEC) was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible. Nurses often relate to such people: people facing the uncertainty, debilitation, loss and eventual death associated with chronic illness. The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease. The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world” (Newman, 2010).
• • An individual person in each situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness.
• The expanding consciousness is a process wherein an individual becomes more of his real self, as he finds greater meaning in his life and the lives of those people around him.
• In his/her search for his/her real self, the individual's awareness expands to include the interests of those people around him and the rest of the world.
• Self-awareness may eventually lead to acceptance of one's self and one's circumstances and limitations.
• With self-awareness and self-acceptance, an in-depth understanding of one's condition may pave the way for a person to engage into activities leading to positive progression transcending
Theory Concepts (complete & clear; concepts & sub-concepts; assessment of explicit and/or implicit concepts)
(10)
Health is the expansion of consciousness
• Humans are open to the whole energy system of the universe and constantly interacting with the energy. With this process of interaction humans are evolving their individual pattern of whole.
• According to Newman understanding the pattern is essential. The expanding consciousness is the pattern recognition.
• The manifestation of disease depends on the pattern of individual so the pathology of the diseases exists before the symptoms appear so removal of disease symptoms does not change the individual structure.
• Newman also redefines nursing according to her nursing is the process of recognizing the individual in relation to environment and it is the process of understanding of consciousness.
• The nurse helps to understand people to use the power within to develop the higher level of consciousness.
• Thus it helps to realize the disease process, its recovery and prevention.
• Newman also explains the interrelatedness of time, space and movement.
• Time and space are the temporal pattern of the individual, both has complementary relationship.
• Humans are constantly changing through time and space and it shows unique pattern of reality.
NURSING PARADIGMS
Health
• “Health and illness are synthesized as health - the fusion on one state of being (disease) with its opposite (non-disease) results in what can be regarded as health”. -A fusion of disease and non-disease creates a synthesis that is regarded as health.
-Disease and non-disease are each reflections of the larger whole; therefore a new concept “pattern of the whole” is formed.
-Newman has stated that pattern recognition is the essence of the emerging health. Manifest health, encompassing disease and non-disease can be regarded as the explication of the underlying pattern of person-environment.
Nursing
• Nursing is “caring in the human health experience”.
• Nursing is seen as a partnership between the nurse and client, with both grow in the “sense of higher levels of consciousness”
• -to help clients get in touch with the meaning of their lives by the identification of their patterns of relating
-Intervention is a form of non-intervention whereby the nurse’s presence assists clients to recognize their own patterns of interacting with the environment.
-facilitates pattern recognition in clients by forming relationships with them at critical points n their lives and connecting with them in an authentic way.
-The nurse-client relationship is characterized by “a rhythmic coming together and moving apart as clients encounter disruption of their organized predictable state.”
-Nurses are seen as partners in the process of expanding consciousness.
Human
• “The human is unitary, that is cannot be divided into parts, and is inseparable from the larger unitary field”
• “Persons as individuals, and human beings as a species are identified by their patterns of consciousness”…
• “The person does not possess consciousness-the person is consciousness”.
• Persons are “centers of consciousness” within an overall pattern of expanding consciousness”
• -Person as individuals is identified by their individual patterns of consciousness.
-Persons are further defined as “centers of consciousness” within an overall pattern of expanding consciousness”
-The definition of person has also been expanded to include family and community.
Environment
• Environment is described as a “universe of open systems”
• Environment is not explicitly defined but is described as being the larger whole, which is beyond the consciousness of the individual.
Theory Concept Relationships (complete & clear; relationships named & defined; assessment of explicit and/or implicitly stated by theorist; explanation of how concept relationships connect with sub-concept relationships) (8)
Newman has designated “caring in the human health experience” as the focus of nursing discipline and has specified the focus as the metaparadigm of the discipline.
Theory Assumptions (complete & clear; assumption sentences specifically identified; assumptions clearly stated; assumptions statements explicitly or implicitly stated by theorist; assumption statements developed by student)
Health is a unitary pattern of the whole and encompasses both disease and non-disease.
1. Health encompasses conditions heretofore described as illness, or, in medical terms, pathology
2. These pathological conditions can be considered a manifestation of the total pattern of the individual
Pattern identifies the evolving human-environment process and is characterized by meaning
3. The pattern of the individual that eventually manifests itself as pathology is primary and exists prior to structural or functional changes
4. Removal of the pathology in itself will not change the pattern of the individual
5. If becoming ill is the only way an individual's pattern can manifest itself, then that is health for that person
Consciousness is the informational capacity of the whole and is revealed in the evolving pattern of the whole.
6. Health is an expansion of consciousness.
Theory Applicability Analysis 35
Theory Structure (complete & clear; includes all concepts/sub-concepts; theory structure configuration)
(10)
Theory Clarity (addresses explanation sufficiency; gaps and/or ambiguities; structural fit level of concepts)
(5)
• Semantic clarity is evident in the definitions, descriptions, and dimensions of the concepts of the theory.
Theory Complexity (number of concepts/sub-concept relationships; theory application outcomes; theory application example outcome)
(5)
Simplicity
• The deeper meaning of the theory of health as expending consciousness is complex. The theory as a whole must be understood, nut just the isolated concepts.
If an individual wanted to use a positivist approach, Newman’s original propositions would serve as guides for hypothesis development.
However, researchers who tried that approach have concluded that it is inadequate to study the theory. As Newman have advocated in the 1994 edition of her book, Health as Expanding Consciousness, the holistic approach of the hermeneutic dialectic method is consistent with the theory and requires a high level of understanding the theory in praxis research.
Theory Generality (purpose/sub-purpose specificity; concept specificity/generality; definitions broad/narrow scope)
(5)
• The theory has been applied in several different cultures
• It is applicable across the spectrum of nursing care situations.
The concepts in Newman’s theory are broad in scope because they all relate to health. The theory has been applied in several different cultures and is applicable across the spectrum of nursing care situations. This renders her theory generalizable.
Theory Strengths/Weaknesses (hypothesis testing value) (10)
Strengths
• Can be applied in any setting
• “Generates caring interventions”
Weaknesses
• Abstract
• Multi-dimensional
• Qualitative
• Little discussion on …show more content…
environment
Conclusion 10
Recommendations for Theory Application (5)
Recommendations for Theory Change/Development (5)
Newman's theory can be conceptualized as
• A grand theory of nursing
• Humans can not be divided into parts
• Health is central to the theory and is seen “and is seen as a process of developing awareness of self and the environment”
• “Consciousness is a manifestation of an evolving pattern of person-environment interaction”
Empirical Precision
• Quantitative methods are inadequate in capturing the dynamic, changing nature of this theory. In the early stages of development, aspects of the theory were operationalized and tested within a traditional scientific method. However, quantitative methods are inadequate in capturing the dynamic, changing nature of this theory.
Derivable Consequences
• Newman's theory provides an evolving guide for all health-related disciplines. The focus of Newman’s theory of health as expanding consciousness provides an evolving guide for all health-related disciplines. In the quest for understanding the phenomenon of health, this unique view of health challenges nurses to make a difference in nursing practice by the application of this theory.
Paper Organization 10
APA format (references appropriately cited; reference page(s) complete & correctly formatted; correct headings format)
Formal writing & grammar (clarity; terminology; grammar; spelling; sentence structure; formal versus informal language)
Guide for the Critical Reflection of Theory
1. How Clear Is This Theory?
• Semantic Clarity
• Are the major concepts defined? Are the definitions explicit, implicit, or inferable?
• Are there any significant concepts that are not defined? Are the definitions clear?
• How general or specific are the definitions?
• Have any words been coined? Are the coined words defined?
• Is the amount of explanation appropriate and useful, or is there too much or not enough explanation?
• Are the examples given meaningful and helpful, or are examples needed but not included? • Semantic Consistency
• Are the definitions consistent with one another?
• Are the same terms defined differently?
• Are different terms defined similarly?
• Are implied or inferred meanings different from explicit meanings?
• Are the views of the person and the environment compatible?
• Are words borrowed from other disciplines and used differently in this context? • Are the assumptions and purposes compatible with other elements of the theory?
• Are there competing assumptions or purposes present?
• Are the examples consistent with one another?
• Structural Clarity
• Do all of the relationships fit within the structure of the theory?
• Can the order of the theory be comprehended?
• Can an overall structure be diagrammed?
• Are there any gaps in the flow?
• Do all of the concepts fit within the theory?
• Structural Consistency
• Do the diagrams and visual structures provide support or compete with one another? • Is there one structural form, or are there several? If there is more than one form, do they complement or compete with one another?
• Are the examples consistent with one another?
• Are the basic assumptions consistent with one another and with the purposes?
• Are compatible and coherent structures suggested for different parts of the theory? • Are there any ambiguities as a result of the sequence of presentation?
2. How Simple Is This Theory?
• How many relationships are contained within the theory?
• How are the relationships organized?
• How many concepts are contained within the theory?
• Are some concepts differentiated into sub-concepts whereas others are not?
• Can concepts be combined without losing theoretic meaning?
• Is the theory complex in some areas and not in others?
• Does the theory tend to describe, explain, or predict? Does it impart understanding?
Does it create meaning?
3.
How General Is This Theory?
• How specific are the purposes of this theory? To which practice areas do they apply, and when?
• Is this theory specific to nursing? If not, what other disciplines could make use of it, and under what circumstances?
• Is the purpose a justifiable nursing purpose?
• If sub-purposes exist, do they reflect nursing actions?
• How broad are the concepts within the theory?
4. How Accessible Is This Theory?
• Are the concepts broad or narrow?
• How specific or general are the definitions within the theory?
• Are the concepts’ empiric indicators identifiable in experience? Are they within the realm of nursing?
• Do the definitions provided for the concepts adequately reflect their meanings?
• Is a very narrow definition offered for a broad concept? Is a broad meaning supplied for a narrow concept?
• If any new words are coined, are they appropriately defined?
5. How Important Is This Theory?
• Does the theory have the potential to influence nursing actions? If so, to what end? Is that end desirable?
• Is the theory used? Does the theory guide nursing education, research, or practice, or does it affect all three? If so, to what end? Is that end
desirable?
• How specific are the purposes of the theory? Do they provide a general framework within which to act or a means of predicting phenomena?
• Is the theory’s position regarding people, nursing, and the environment consistent with nursing’s philosophy?
• Given the purpose of the theory and its orientation, what significant factors related to nursing or health care have been omitted?
• Is the stated or implied purpose one that is important to nursing? Why or why not?
• Will the use of the theory help or hinder nursing in any way? If so, how?
• Will the application of this theory resolve any important issues or problems in nursing?
• Is the theory futuristic and forward looking?
• Will research based on the theory answer important questions?
• Are the concepts addressed within the domain of nursing?
• Do you like the theory? Why or why not?
*No Introduction Heading as per APA 6th Edition
10
• The theory of health as expanding consciousness stems from Rogers' theory of unitary human beings.
• The theory of health as expanding consciousness was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible, (Newman, 2010).
• The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease, (Newman, 2010).
• The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding …show more content…
consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world, (Newman, 2010).
• The health of a human being is a unitary phenomenon, an evolving pattern of human-environment (Rogers, 1970).
• Life is a process of expanding consciousness. Consciousness is the informational capacity of the system and can be seen in the quality of interaction of the system with the environment (Bentov, 1978).
• The explicate order is a manifestation of the implicate order (Bohm, 1980).
Theory Assessment 35
Theory Purpose (complete & clear; purpose & sub-purposes) (10)
• “The theory of health as expanding consciousness (HEC) was stimulated by concern for those for whom health as the absence of disease or disability is not possible. Nurses often relate to such people: people facing the uncertainty, debilitation, loss and eventual death associated with chronic illness. The theory has progressed to include the health of all persons regardless of the presence or absence of disease. The theory asserts that every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness – a process of becoming more of oneself, of finding greater meaning in life, and of reaching new dimensions of connectedness with other people and the world” (Newman, 2010).
• • An individual person in each situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness.
• The expanding consciousness is a process wherein an individual becomes more of his real self, as he finds greater meaning in his life and the lives of those people around him.
• In his/her search for his/her real self, the individual's awareness expands to include the interests of those people around him and the rest of the world.
• Self-awareness may eventually lead to acceptance of one's self and one's circumstances and limitations.
• With self-awareness and self-acceptance, an in-depth understanding of one's condition may pave the way for a person to engage into activities leading to positive progression transcending
Theory Concepts (complete & clear; concepts & sub-concepts; assessment of explicit and/or implicit concepts)
(10)
Health is the expansion of consciousness
• Humans are open to the whole energy system of the universe and constantly interacting with the energy. With this process of interaction humans are evolving their individual pattern of whole.
• According to Newman understanding the pattern is essential. The expanding consciousness is the pattern recognition.
• The manifestation of disease depends on the pattern of individual so the pathology of the diseases exists before the symptoms appear so removal of disease symptoms does not change the individual structure.
• Newman also redefines nursing according to her nursing is the process of recognizing the individual in relation to environment and it is the process of understanding of consciousness.
• The nurse helps to understand people to use the power within to develop the higher level of consciousness.
• Thus it helps to realize the disease process, its recovery and prevention.
• Newman also explains the interrelatedness of time, space and movement.
• Time and space are the temporal pattern of the individual, both has complementary relationship.
• Humans are constantly changing through time and space and it shows unique pattern of reality.
NURSING PARADIGMS
Health
• “Health and illness are synthesized as health - the fusion on one state of being (disease) with its opposite (non-disease) results in what can be regarded as health”. -A fusion of disease and non-disease creates a synthesis that is regarded as health.
-Disease and non-disease are each reflections of the larger whole; therefore a new concept “pattern of the whole” is formed.
-Newman has stated that pattern recognition is the essence of the emerging health. Manifest health, encompassing disease and non-disease can be regarded as the explication of the underlying pattern of person-environment.
Nursing
• Nursing is “caring in the human health experience”.
• Nursing is seen as a partnership between the nurse and client, with both grow in the “sense of higher levels of consciousness”
• -to help clients get in touch with the meaning of their lives by the identification of their patterns of relating
-Intervention is a form of non-intervention whereby the nurse’s presence assists clients to recognize their own patterns of interacting with the environment.
-facilitates pattern recognition in clients by forming relationships with them at critical points n their lives and connecting with them in an authentic way.
-The nurse-client relationship is characterized by “a rhythmic coming together and moving apart as clients encounter disruption of their organized predictable state.”
-Nurses are seen as partners in the process of expanding consciousness.
Human
• “The human is unitary, that is cannot be divided into parts, and is inseparable from the larger unitary field”
• “Persons as individuals, and human beings as a species are identified by their patterns of consciousness”…
• “The person does not possess consciousness-the person is consciousness”.
• Persons are “centers of consciousness” within an overall pattern of expanding consciousness”
• -Person as individuals is identified by their individual patterns of consciousness.
-Persons are further defined as “centers of consciousness” within an overall pattern of expanding consciousness”
-The definition of person has also been expanded to include family and community.
Environment
• Environment is described as a “universe of open systems”
• Environment is not explicitly defined but is described as being the larger whole, which is beyond the consciousness of the individual.
Theory Concept Relationships (complete & clear; relationships named & defined; assessment of explicit and/or implicitly stated by theorist; explanation of how concept relationships connect with sub-concept relationships) (8)
Newman has designated “caring in the human health experience” as the focus of nursing discipline and has specified the focus as the metaparadigm of the discipline.
Theory Assumptions (complete & clear; assumption sentences specifically identified; assumptions clearly stated; assumptions statements explicitly or implicitly stated by theorist; assumption statements developed by student)
Health is a unitary pattern of the whole and encompasses both disease and non-disease.
1. Health encompasses conditions heretofore described as illness, or, in medical terms, pathology
2. These pathological conditions can be considered a manifestation of the total pattern of the individual
Pattern identifies the evolving human-environment process and is characterized by meaning
3. The pattern of the individual that eventually manifests itself as pathology is primary and exists prior to structural or functional changes
4. Removal of the pathology in itself will not change the pattern of the individual
5. If becoming ill is the only way an individual's pattern can manifest itself, then that is health for that person
Consciousness is the informational capacity of the whole and is revealed in the evolving pattern of the whole.
6. Health is an expansion of consciousness.
Theory Applicability Analysis 35
Theory Structure (complete & clear; includes all concepts/sub-concepts; theory structure configuration)
(10)
Theory Clarity (addresses explanation sufficiency; gaps and/or ambiguities; structural fit level of concepts)
(5)
• Semantic clarity is evident in the definitions, descriptions, and dimensions of the concepts of the theory.
Theory Complexity (number of concepts/sub-concept relationships; theory application outcomes; theory application example outcome)
(5)
Simplicity
• The deeper meaning of the theory of health as expending consciousness is complex. The theory as a whole must be understood, nut just the isolated concepts.
If an individual wanted to use a positivist approach, Newman’s original propositions would serve as guides for hypothesis development.
However, researchers who tried that approach have concluded that it is inadequate to study the theory. As Newman have advocated in the 1994 edition of her book, Health as Expanding Consciousness, the holistic approach of the hermeneutic dialectic method is consistent with the theory and requires a high level of understanding the theory in praxis research.
Theory Generality (purpose/sub-purpose specificity; concept specificity/generality; definitions broad/narrow scope)
(5)
• The theory has been applied in several different cultures
• It is applicable across the spectrum of nursing care situations.
The concepts in Newman’s theory are broad in scope because they all relate to health. The theory has been applied in several different cultures and is applicable across the spectrum of nursing care situations. This renders her theory generalizable.
Theory Strengths/Weaknesses (hypothesis testing value) (10)
Strengths
• Can be applied in any setting
• “Generates caring interventions”
Weaknesses
• Abstract
• Multi-dimensional
• Qualitative
• Little discussion on …show more content…
environment
Conclusion 10
Recommendations for Theory Application (5)
Recommendations for Theory Change/Development (5)
Newman's theory can be conceptualized as
• A grand theory of nursing
• Humans can not be divided into parts
• Health is central to the theory and is seen “and is seen as a process of developing awareness of self and the environment”
• “Consciousness is a manifestation of an evolving pattern of person-environment interaction”
Empirical Precision
• Quantitative methods are inadequate in capturing the dynamic, changing nature of this theory. In the early stages of development, aspects of the theory were operationalized and tested within a traditional scientific method. However, quantitative methods are inadequate in capturing the dynamic, changing nature of this theory.
Derivable Consequences
• Newman's theory provides an evolving guide for all health-related disciplines. The focus of Newman’s theory of health as expanding consciousness provides an evolving guide for all health-related disciplines. In the quest for understanding the phenomenon of health, this unique view of health challenges nurses to make a difference in nursing practice by the application of this theory.
Paper Organization 10
APA format (references appropriately cited; reference page(s) complete & correctly formatted; correct headings format)
Formal writing & grammar (clarity; terminology; grammar; spelling; sentence structure; formal versus informal language)
Guide for the Critical Reflection of Theory
1. How Clear Is This Theory?
• Semantic Clarity
• Are the major concepts defined? Are the definitions explicit, implicit, or inferable?
• Are there any significant concepts that are not defined? Are the definitions clear?
• How general or specific are the definitions?
• Have any words been coined? Are the coined words defined?
• Is the amount of explanation appropriate and useful, or is there too much or not enough explanation?
• Are the examples given meaningful and helpful, or are examples needed but not included? • Semantic Consistency
• Are the definitions consistent with one another?
• Are the same terms defined differently?
• Are different terms defined similarly?
• Are implied or inferred meanings different from explicit meanings?
• Are the views of the person and the environment compatible?
• Are words borrowed from other disciplines and used differently in this context? • Are the assumptions and purposes compatible with other elements of the theory?
• Are there competing assumptions or purposes present?
• Are the examples consistent with one another?
• Structural Clarity
• Do all of the relationships fit within the structure of the theory?
• Can the order of the theory be comprehended?
• Can an overall structure be diagrammed?
• Are there any gaps in the flow?
• Do all of the concepts fit within the theory?
• Structural Consistency
• Do the diagrams and visual structures provide support or compete with one another? • Is there one structural form, or are there several? If there is more than one form, do they complement or compete with one another?
• Are the examples consistent with one another?
• Are the basic assumptions consistent with one another and with the purposes?
• Are compatible and coherent structures suggested for different parts of the theory? • Are there any ambiguities as a result of the sequence of presentation?
2. How Simple Is This Theory?
• How many relationships are contained within the theory?
• How are the relationships organized?
• How many concepts are contained within the theory?
• Are some concepts differentiated into sub-concepts whereas others are not?
• Can concepts be combined without losing theoretic meaning?
• Is the theory complex in some areas and not in others?
• Does the theory tend to describe, explain, or predict? Does it impart understanding?
Does it create meaning?
3.
How General Is This Theory?
• How specific are the purposes of this theory? To which practice areas do they apply, and when?
• Is this theory specific to nursing? If not, what other disciplines could make use of it, and under what circumstances?
• Is the purpose a justifiable nursing purpose?
• If sub-purposes exist, do they reflect nursing actions?
• How broad are the concepts within the theory?
4. How Accessible Is This Theory?
• Are the concepts broad or narrow?
• How specific or general are the definitions within the theory?
• Are the concepts’ empiric indicators identifiable in experience? Are they within the realm of nursing?
• Do the definitions provided for the concepts adequately reflect their meanings?
• Is a very narrow definition offered for a broad concept? Is a broad meaning supplied for a narrow concept?
• If any new words are coined, are they appropriately defined?
5. How Important Is This Theory?
• Does the theory have the potential to influence nursing actions? If so, to what end? Is that end desirable?
• Is the theory used? Does the theory guide nursing education, research, or practice, or does it affect all three? If so, to what end? Is that end
desirable?
• How specific are the purposes of the theory? Do they provide a general framework within which to act or a means of predicting phenomena?
• Is the theory’s position regarding people, nursing, and the environment consistent with nursing’s philosophy?
• Given the purpose of the theory and its orientation, what significant factors related to nursing or health care have been omitted?
• Is the stated or implied purpose one that is important to nursing? Why or why not?
• Will the use of the theory help or hinder nursing in any way? If so, how?
• Will the application of this theory resolve any important issues or problems in nursing?
• Is the theory futuristic and forward looking?
• Will research based on the theory answer important questions?
• Are the concepts addressed within the domain of nursing?
• Do you like the theory? Why or why not?