Dorothy Johnson: Behavioral System Model

• Was an American nurse, researcher, author, and theorist.

• After graduation, Dorothy Johnson’s professional experiences
involved mostly teaching, although she was a staff nurse at the
Chatham-Savannah Health Council from 1943 to 1944.
• She was an instructor and an assistant professor in pediatric
nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Major Concept
Name of
Theory Person Health Environment Nursing Key Concept
Theory
(1) To assist the
patient whose
“each Behavioral Johnson Health is seen The environment is Nursing is seen as
behavior is
individual System views human as the opposite not directly defined, “an external
proportional to
has Model beings as of illness, and but it is implied to regulatory force
social demands. (2)
patterned, having two Johnson defines include all elements that acts to
To assist the patient
purposeful, major it as “some of the human preserve the
who can modify his
repetitive systems: the degree of system’s organization and
behavior in ways
ways of biological regularity and surroundings and integrate the
that supports
acting that system and constancy in includes interior patient’s behavior
biological
comprises the behavior. The stressors. at an optimal
imperatives. (3) To
a behavioral behavioral level under those
assist the patient
behavioral system. It is system reflects conditions in
who can benefit to
system the role of adjustments which the
the fullest extent
specific to medicine to and adaptations behavior
during illness from
that focus on the that are constitutes a
the physician’s
individual.” biological successful threat to physical
knowledge and skill.
system, somehow, and or social health or
And (4) To assist the
whereas to some in which illness is
patient whose
nursing degree… found.”
behavior does not
focuses on adaptation is
give evidence of
the functionally
unnecessary trauma
behavioral efficient and
as a consequence of
system. effective.”
illness.
References : (For assignment 4 and 5)

https://nursinganswers.net
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6150916/
https://nurseslabs.com/imogene-m-kings-theory-goal-attainment/
Timber BK. Fundamental skills and concepts in Patient Care, 7th edition,
LWW, NY.

George B. Julia , Nursing Theories- The base for professional Nursing Practice ,
3rd ed. Norwalk, Appleton and Lange.

Wills M.Evelyn, McEwen Melanie (2002). Theoretical Basis for Nursing

Philadelphia. Lippincott Williams& wilkins.

Meleis Ibrahim Afaf (1997) , Theoretical Nursing : Development & Progress 3rd
ed. Philadelphia, Lippincott

https://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Sister-Callista-Roy.php