Potter: Fundamentals of Nursing, 8th Edition

Chapter 06: Health and Wellness Key Points - Printable Health and wellness are not merely the absence of disease and illness. A persons state of health, wellness, or illness depends on individual values, personality, and lifestyle. The health belief model considers the relationship between a persons health beliefs and health behaviors. The health promotion model highlights factors that increase individual well-being and self-actualization. Maslows hierarchy of needs model emphasizes identifying a patients individual needs, prioritizing the needs, and encouraging the patients individual discovery of self (self-actualization). Holistic health models of nursing promote optimal health by incorporating active participation of patients in improving their health state. Health beliefs and practices are influenced by internal and external variables and should be considered when planning care. Health promotion activities help maintain or enhance health. Wellness education teaches patients how to care for themselves. Illness prevention activities protect against health threats and thus maintain an optimal level of health. Nursing incorporates health promotion activities, wellness education, and illness prevention activities rather than simply treating illness. The three levels of preventive care are primary, secondary, and tertiary. Risk factors threaten health, influence health practices, and are important considerations in illness prevention activities. Improvement in health may involve a change in health behaviors. The transtheoretical model of change describes a series of changes through which patients progress for successful behavior change rather than simply assuming that all patients are in an action stage. Illness behavior, like health practices, is influenced by many variables and must be considered by the nurse when planning care. Illness can have many effects on the patient and family, including changes in behavior and emotions, family roles and dynamics, body image, and self-concept.