We have been talking about nursing theories and we began with Florence Nightingales’ Environmental Theory.
In this article, we will talk about The Need Theory by Virginia Henderson- a nurse who impacted the modern nursing field and whose works inspired other theorists like Faye Abdellah.
Who Was Virginia Henderson?
Virginia Henderson, also called the first lady of nursing was a nurse theorist, researcher, and author for 60 years. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1897.
Henderson took interest in nursing during World War I and graduated from the Army School of Nursing in 1921. She pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University.
In her lifetime, Henderson wrote three renowned nursing books:
- Textbook of the Principles and Practice of Nursing (1955)
- Basic Principles of Nursing Care (1960)
- The Nature of Nursing (1966).
In 1958, she defined the uniqueness of a nurse:
“The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of
those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge; and to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible”
(Henderson, 1964, p. 63).
Henderson identified three levels of nurse-patient relationships in which the nurse acts as:
- a substitute for the patient
- a helper to the patient,
- a partner with the patient.
Through the interpersonal process, the nurse must get “inside the skin” of each of her patients in order to know what help is needed (Harmer and Henderson, 1955, p. 5).
Henderson argued that nurses collaborate with other healthcare workers and patients, despite the fact that their roles may overlap. She used a pie graph to show the relative contributions of the healthcare team.
Virginia Henderson was a pioneer in advocating for university-level nursing education. She was also an ardent supporter of universal healthcare and spoke out against the for-profit medical model, writing and lobbying for the nursing profession until her death in 1996.
The Need Theory
She developed four major concepts in her theory of needs.
1. The Individual
Individuals (or patients) have basic health needs and require aid in achieving independence or dying peacefully. The mind and body are inextricably linked and cannot be separate. Every person possesses biological, psychological, spiritual, and societal components and is greater than the sum of their parts.
2. Environment.
One’s habitat is the setting in which they discover their own methods of living. Every environmental circumstance influence and affects life and development. Individuals interact with their families, and the community has an impact on both families and individuals. fundamental nursing care entails providing care so that the patient may meet their 14 fundamental requirements without assistance.
3. Health.
Henderson’s 14 needs serve as the foundation for her definition of health, and nurses strive to assist patients in meeting these needs while emphasizing health promotion and disease cure. Optimal health is a challenge that is influenced by age, cultural background, physical capabilities, cognitive ability, and emotional equilibrium.
4. Nursing.
It is the nurse’s responsibility to assist individuals who are unable to meet their 14 basic needs by aiding them in daily activities with the objective of obtaining independence. Nurses carry out physicians’ treatment strategies, resulting in tailored care. Henderson thought that nurses were scientific problem solvers who should “get inside the patient’s skin and supplement his strength, will, or knowledge according to his needs.
14 Basic Human Needs
Henderson identified 14 basic human needs as the foundation for nursing care.
Her contributions include the definition of nursing.
Defining autonomous nursing functions, emphasizing dependency for patients, and developing self-help concepts.
- Breathe normally.
- Eat and drink adequately
- Eliminate body wastes.
- Move and maintain desirable postures.
- Sleep and rest.
- Select suitable clothes; dress and undress.
- Maintain body temperature within a normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying
the environment. - Keep the body clean and well-groomed and protect the integument.
- Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others.
- Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions.
- Worship according to one’s faith.
- Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment.
- Play or participate in various forms of recreation.
- Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health, and use the available health facilities
