1. Virginia Henderson: Need Theory
Lindsey Pagano, Sara Critz, Shelby Fox and Monica Contreras
James Madison University
Fall 2016

2. Known as “The Florence Nightingale of the 20th century” (Black, 2014, p. 179).
Born in 1897 in Kansas City, Missouri (American Nurses Association, n.d.)
Graduated in 1921 from The U.S. Army School of Nursing.
Completed a Bachelor degree from Columbia University in and a Master’s degree from the same school in 1934.
(McBride, n.d. )
Virginia Henderson

3. Henderson was always interested in education and teaching
Henderson was always interested in education and teaching. She became a nursing instructor in 1924 in a Hospital in Norfolk (American Association for The History of Nursing, 2007).
After getting her graduate degree she taught at Columbia University for over a decade (American Association for the History of Nursing, 2007).
In 1953 Henderson joined Yale University as a researcher. According to McBride (n.d.) Henderson’s time in Yale was of “great productivity” (para. 4).
While in Yale, Henderson contributed to The Textbook of the Principles and Practice of Nursing by Bertha Harmer’s which was used by many nursing institutions. This book was published in (America Nurses Association, n.d., para 4).
HENDERSON’S CAREER

4. Throughout her research career Henderson concluded nurses needed a clear definition of the profession in order to practice. So she developed her own definition of nursing (Halloran, 1996).
She aimed to answer questions like Florence Nightingale did. She provided answers about what the nursing profession is and what nurses do (Black, 2014, p. 179). She believed “research was the basis of clinical teaching in nurse education” (Halloran, 2001, para 3).
Henderson developed her theory while defining the nursing profession. Published the 4 volume, Nursing Research: Survey and Assessment in with Leo Simmons (Halloran, 1996).
Theory Development

5. Henderson nursing need theory
Henderson described the nurse’s role as that of a substitute for the patient, a helper to the patient, or a partner with the patient (Black, 2014 p.270).
Henderson felt the role of the nurse to be that of a helper to the patient or that of a partner in care.
Her theory when applied was intended to help the patient become as independent as possible.

6. Henderson thought the nurse was either substitutive, supplementary, or complementary to assist patients in achieving independence.
Need Theory

7. Henderson's Need Theory emphasizes the importance of patient independence so that the patient will continue to progress after being released from the hospital(“Need theory”, 2016).
To take care of the patient as a whole to ensure they will have fewer setbacks once released from the medical setting.
Nurses need to make themselves valuable to their patients and doctors.
Need Theory

8. The Need Theory presents the patient as a sum of parts with biophysical needs rather than as a type of client or consumer (“Need theory”,2016).
The four major concepts addressed in the theory are the individual, the environment, health, and nursing (“Need theory”, 2016).
Henderson then selected 14 basic needs of the patient to focus on.
Need Theory

9. Henderson Individual Environment
Basic needs that are essential for health.
“Requiring assistance to achieve health and independence or a peaceful death”(“Virginia Henderson”,2012).
Mind and body are intertwined.
“Considers the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual components” (“Virginia Henderson”,2012).
Any external influences that can affect life and/or development.
“Basic nursing care involves providing conditions under which the patient can perform the 14 activities unaided” (“Virginia Henderson”,2012).
Henderson

10. Henderson Health Nursing
“Good health is a challenge -affected by age, cultural background, physical, and intellectual capacities, and emotional balance is the individual’s ability to meet these needs independently” (“Virginia Henderson”,2012).
Achieved when able to perform 14 activities independently.
“Nurses should have knowledge to practice individualized and human care and should be a scientific problem solver”
(“VirginiaHenderson”,2012).
The nurses role is to treat the “whole” patient with the goal of a complete patient again.
Henderson

11. -These components are based off of human needs.
-Virginia Henderson broke down nursing activities into fourteen components or basic needs.
-These components are based off of human needs.
(“14 components”, 2016).

12. The components show a holistic approach to nursing by Virginia Henderson that covers, physiological (components 1-9), psychological (components 10 and 14), social (components 12 and 13) and spiritual (component 11) needs. To incorporate the patient as a whole (‘Need Theory”, 2016).
The entire theory’s definition of health is based on a person’s ability to be independent and function on their own as outlined in these fourteen components. Henderson’s belief is that people/patients are not always able to do this on their own. It is part of the role of a nurse to help them achieve this (“Need Theory”, 2016).

13. Henderson stated that it is the responsibility of the nurse to access the needs of the patient and educate them on health promotion (“Need Theory”, 2016).

14. Henderson’s theory and 14 components is easily applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
(“Henderson’s 14 Components as Applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, 2016)

15. According to the American Nurses Association: Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities and populations.
How do we relate?

16. As nurses we are taught to care for the needs of our patients
We take a systematic approach to assessing our patient’s needs every time we walk into their room
Our mission is to care for our patients and get them well enough to be able to care for themselves at home.
How do we relate?

17. As it relates to nursing
This theory is constantly incorporated into our daily practice as nurses
We don’t even have to think about every aspect of this theory, it becomes an automatic approach in our patient care
Every time we change bandages, administer medications, comfort, bathe, ambulate, promote wellness, advocate, and educate our patients we are following Henderson’s Need Theory.
As it relates to nursing

18. American Association for The History of Nursing. (2007). Virginia A
American Association for The History of Nursing. (2007). Virginia A. Henderson. Retrieved from:
American Nurses Association. (n.d.) Virginia A. Henderson ( ) 1996 Inductee. Retrieved from:
American Nurses Association. (2016). What is nursing? Retrieved from:
Black. B. (2014).Nursing theory: the basis of professional nursing. (7th ed). Professional Nursing: Concepts and Challenges. ( ). St Louis, MI: Elsevier inc.
Halloran, E. (2001). Henderson, Virginia. Oxford University Press. doi: /anb/ article
Halloran, E. (1996). Virginia Henderson and her timeless writings. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 23(1), doi: /j tb03130.x

19. Henderson’s 14 Components as Applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of. Needs
Henderson’s 14 Components as Applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. [Digital image]. (2016). Retrieved from
McBride, A.B. (n.d.). In Celebration of Virginia Avenel Henderson. Retrieved from: n_of_virginiaavene
Need Theory. (2016). Retrieved from: heory.php
Virginia Henderson Need Theory. (Febuary,4,2012). Retrieved from:
14 components. [digital image]. (2016). Retrieved from:
References cont.