1. T HEORETICAL F OUNDATIONS OF N URSING : V IRGINIA H ENDERSON : 14 AREAS OF ASSESSMENT “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” ~Virginia Henderson

2. B IOGRAPHY  Army School of Nursing in Washington in 1918 and graduated in 1921.   She began the continuation of her education at Columbia university teachers and completed her B.S. and M.A. degree in Nursing Education in 1926.  Henderson served as a teaching supervision in the clinics of strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York in 1929  She rewrote the fourth edition of Bertha Hamer’s Textbook of the Principles and Practice of Nursing and published in 1939.  The fifth edition of textbook was published and continued Henderson’s own definition of nursing in 1955.  Henderson directed the Nursing Studies Index Project from 1959 to 1971  Her pamphlet, Basic Principles of Nursing was published in 1960 and translated into more than 20 languages.

3. C REDENTIALS  Her book ‘The Nature of Nursing’ of Nursing was published in 1966.  She remained active as a Research Associate Emerious throught 1980s.  She received sigma Theta Tan International ‘s Mary Tolle Wright Foundation Award for Leadership in 1983.  She received Special citation of honour for her lifelong contributions to Nursing research, education and professionals in 1988..

4. E MPIRICAL E VIDENCE Virginia Henderson incorporated physiological and psychological principles into her personal concept of nursing Virginia Henderson concluded that ‘A definition of nursing should imply an appreciation’ of the principles of physiological balance. From Bernard’s theory, she also gained an appreciation for psychosomatic medicine and its implications for nursing. A co-relation with Abraham Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs is seen in Henderson’s 14 components of nursing care which begin with physical needs and progress to the psychological components.

5. MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS Nursing is defined as ‘The unique function of the nurse to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery or peaceful death that he/she had necessary strength, will or knowledge’ And to do this in such a way as to help him/her to gain independence as rapidly as possible.

6. MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS Health is viewed as “The individuals ability to function independently in relation to 14 components basic nursing care which defined as the domain of nursing requires strength, will or knowledge.” She says, it is the quality of health rather than life itself, that margin of mental physical rigor that allows a person to work effectively and to reach his highest potential level of satisfaction.

7. MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS

8. Environment as “the aggregate of all the external conditions and influences effecting the life and developments of an organisms

9. MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS Person Virginia Henderson views the patient as an individual who requires assistance to achieve health and independence or peaceful death. The mind and body are inseparable. The patient and family are viewed as unit.

10. M AJOR A SSUMPTIONS IN NURSING  The nurse has a unique function to help well or sick individuals.  The nurse functions as a member of medical team.  The nurse functions independently of the physician but promotes his or her plan, if there is physician in attendance.  Henderson stressed that the nurse e.g. nurse midwife can function independently and must if he or she is the best prepared health worker in the situation. The nurse can and must diagnose and treat if the situation demands it.  The nurse is knowledgeable in both biological and social sciences.  The nurses can asses basic human needs.  The 14 components of nsg. care encompasses all possible functions of nursing.

11. M AJOR A SSUMPTIONS IN NURSING  PERSON The person must maintain physiological and emotional balance. The mind and body of person are inseparable. The patient requires help toward independence. The patient and his family are a unit. The patient’s needs are encompassed by 14 components of nursing.

12. M AJOR A SSUMPTIONS IN NURSING  HEALTH Health is a quality of life. Health is basic to human functioning. Health requires independence and interdependence. Promotion of health is more important than care of sick. Individuals will achieve or maintain health if they have the necessary strength, will or knowledge.

13. M AJOR A SSUMPTIONS IN NURSING  ENVIRONMENT Health interfere with that ability. Nurses should have safety education. Nurses should protect patients from mechanical injury. Nurses should minimize the chances of injury through recommendations regarding construction of buildings, purchase of equipment and maintenance. Doctors use nurse’s observations and judgments upon which to base prescriptions for protective device.

14. T HEORETICAL A SSERTIONS T HE N URSE -P ATIENT R ELATIONSHIP  The nurse as a substitute for the patient.  The nurse as a helper to the patient.  The nurse as a partner with the patient.

15. P RACTICE  It helps the nurses to help the patient move to an independent state by assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating each of 14 components of basic nursing. care.  It helps the nurses to help the patient perform activities to maintain heath, to recover from illness or to aid in peaceful death.

16. N URSING EDUCATION  The book “Principles and practice of nursing” gives definition to nursing and this book been used as a basic text in many schools of nursing.  It gives curriculum for nursing  Her curriculum helps in structured learning experiences which are goal directive.  It helps the nurses in creative thinking.

17. N URSING RESEARCH  It gives a source for educational research.  Her basic needs serve as a source for the nursing research.  It helps to formulate the questions in nursing research

18. F URTHER DEVELOPMENT  Henderson has no plans to further develop her definition of nursing. Neither does she anticipate any further revisions of the text ‘Principles and Practice of nursing’. She stressed continued assessment of the patient’s needs and continued revision of the patient’s needs as his condition and goals changes. Henderson encourage the nurse to identify new needs beyond the 14 she recommended.

19. S IMPLICITY  Complex rather than simplistic. Contains many variables and several descriptive and explanatory relationships. Not associated with structural organizations within a framework or model form to enhance simplicity.

20. G ENERALITY  Its generable because it is broad in scope. It attempts to include the function of all nurses and all patients in their various interrelationships and interdependence.

21. D ERIVABLE C ONSEQUENCES  Henderson’s perspective has been useful in promoting new ideas and in furthering conceptual development of emerging theorist. She has discussed the importance of nag’s interdependence from and interdependence with, other branches of health care field. Her theory is helpful in curriculum development and made great contribution in promoting the importance of research in the clinical practice of nursing.

22. T HEORETICAL F OUNDATIONS OF N URSING : V IRGINIA H ENDERSON : 14 AREAS OF ASSESSMENT “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” ~Virginia Henderson