An article written by Younas Ahtisham and Sommer Jacoline entitled “Integrating

Nursing Theory and Process into Practice; Virginia’s Henderson Need Theory” is very

undoubtedly engrossing and instructive. The concept of the paper includes the need

theory as a pertinent proposition to the clinical setting that could possibly work as a basic

structure underlying a system in order to perceive and understand the needs of the

patients and to provide them with the holistic nursing care. I believe that experience or

practice is more important and effective than learning the nursing theory and process

alone. With this being said, Henderson’s need theory would be definitely useful and

helpful in knowing and determining the care needed by the patients. Virginia Henderson’s

nursing theory suggests that a nurse’s distinctive role or purpose is to accommodate and

aid every individuals, whether those who are suffering with illness or even those who are

fit and all right, this hereby contributes to the health and well-being including the

recuperation as long as he had the essential power, determination, and skill to do so.

Furthermore, this theory propose that in order to achieve a patient's ultimate health, basic

human requirements must be satisfied. Basic needs must be satisfied before

independence and healing may occur. Nurses are to assist patients in meeting

fundamental needs until they are able to do it on their own. The patient's mind and body

are one. Nursing activities were broken down into four section of needs which consists of

fourteen components or basic needs by Virginia Henderson. These elements are based

on human requirements. These four basic needs are physiological needs, safety needs,

love and belongingness, and esteem while the fundamental needs, according to order,

are 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 normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying

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, and learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development

and health and use the available health facilities.

Through applying the knowledge learned, especially in the nursing practice in

clinical setting, helps us in developing ourselves and cultivating the knowledge that we

already have in a particular field. According to Coretta Scott King “The greatness of a

community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

Nurses, on the other hand, did a good job in showing their concern for the community and

practicing the responsibility in helping those who are in need especially when they utilize

and apply the need theory. Evidence of this is the good relationship and the smooth and

proper collaboration of minds between the patient and the attendant or nurse in charge.

Through understanding the needs of the patients mentally, spiritually and psychologically

and not just physically can improve the condition of a patient more effectively. By these,

it is much easier for the patients to open up and comprehend certain things. Nurses are

excellent in showing how they care for the people in the community by helping those who

are in need. I can say that each of them is so dedicated in providing a good health care

service to the patients especially in bringing the best out of them in order for them to

discover their own potential to be healed and recuperate quickly. The need theory

constructed by Virginia Henderson provides a very strong support for the patients.
Experience contributes to boost nurses’ skills and develop their capabilities to become

competitive and responsible individuals to their profession. Experience with the

application of the need theory involves the function of education, perceiving one’s own

reality and experience, discovery of knowledge, truth and the ways of learning the better

caring for the patients. According to Maya Angelou, “As a nurse, we have the opportunity

to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They

may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel,” and that

exactly what nurses do. Every people has their own potential and ability. And it is true

that one of the nurses’ objective is to grow and develop career experience and also seek

and provide for the special needs of the children, patients and the individual. The

philosophical education in the clinical setting in nursing theory and process should focus

on the physical and spiritual aspect of every individual. Through logic and reasoning, it is

possible for the nurses also to enhance their own capabilities and develop their own

selves. Sure that the learners can benefit in many ways. Those are very important in

meeting the needs of the patients and on how to take care of them better.

According to Virginia Henderson, the one who develop the need theory, “The nurse

is temporarily the consciousness of the unconscious, the love of life of the suicidal, the

leg of the amputee, the eyes of the newly blind, a means of locomotion for the new born,

knowledge and confidence for the young mother, a voice for those too weak to speak,

and so on.” Overall, I can see that a nurse knows exactly what the community needs. It

is something that can give a major impact to the community as well as the society.

Producing competitive individuals with the pursuit of excellence is the great way to provide

the needs of the general community just because knowledgeable competitive individuals
are what exactly the community is looking because they can give a big contribution to the

community. The same thing goes with the nurses and their nursing theory and process of

practice. Understanding and applying the need theory would surely be helpful in knowing

and supplying the needs of the patients potently.