VIRGINIA HENDERSON THEORY

She addressed nursing to “help client to gain independence as rapidly as possible with her 14
basic needs”.

BACKGROUND OF THEORIST

• She was born in Kanas city, Missouri in 1897.

• She graduated and join as staff nurse in New York in 1918.

• In 1921 she began teaching for nursing students in Norfolk protestant hospital, Virginia.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF NURSING CARE

14 Basic need of patients.

1. Breath normally.

2. Eat & drink adequately.

3. Eliminate body waste.

4. Move & maintain desirable position.

5. Sleep and rest.

6. Select suitable cloth.

7. Maintain body temperature.

8. Keep body clean & well groomed.

9. Avoid dangerous in environment.

10. Communicate emotions, needs, fear or opinions.

11. Worship according to one’s faiths.

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 12. Work in such a way that there is sense of accomplishment.

13. Play or recreations.

14. Learn, discover or satisfied the need of the patients or family.

PARADIGM

Nursing –

• The nurse has a unique function to help well or sick individual.

• The nurse can function as a member of a medical team.

• The nurse is knowledgeable in both biological and social science.

• The nurse can assess basic human needs.

• The 14 components of nursing care encompass all possible functions of nursing.

Persons –

• The person must maintain physiological and emotional balance.

• The patients require help.

• The patient and their family are a unit.

• The patient’s need are encompassed by 14 component of nursing.

Health –

• Health is quality of life.

• Health is basic to human functioning.

• Health require independent & interdependence.

• Promotion of health is more important than care of the sick.

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Environment –

• Healthy individual may be able to control their environment, but illness may interfere
with ability.

• Nurse should protect the patient from mechanical injuries.

• Nurse should minimizes the chance of injuries.

APPLICATION OF NURSING THEORY IN NURSING PROCESS

NURSING ASSESSMENT –

• 14 basic needs

NURSING DIAGNOSIS –

• Identify individual ability to meet own needs with or without assistance.

NURSING PLAN –

• Documentation how the nurse can assist the individual , sick or well .

NURSING IMPLEMENTATION –

• Assist the sick or well individual in the performance of active in meeting human needs to
maintain health, recover from illness.

• Implementation based on physiological, principles, age, cultural background, emotional

balance, physical & intellectual capacities.

NURSING EVALUATION –

• Successful outcomes of nursing care are based on the degree of the patient performs
independently the activities of daily living.

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FOR EXAMPLE ( Situation) –

Mr. john is a 40 yr, lawyer. He met with road accident and admitted to emergency room. He is
incubated and moved to ICU. He would be paraplegia for long life. On next day , John woke up
and he was able to be extubated. The nurse explained his condition and he become verbally
abusive to nurse. John reaction was anger to meet any of the 14 basic need.

After some time , his reaction not improve. He had a grown bread, refused to bath, prohibited
his wife and his kids to visit him. Physiological he had elevated blood pressure, shallow
breath, not take food properly & suspicious of suicidal attempt.

SOLUTION – ASSESSMENT

1. Shallow breath, elevated blood pressure.

2. Not take food properly.

3. Paraplegia

4. Grown beard

5. Disturbed sleep

6. Suspicious of suicidal attempt

7. Verbally abusive to nurse

8. Prohibited his wife and kids to visit him

NURSING DIGNOSIS

1. Ineffective breathing pattern related to neuromuscular impairment.

2. Alteration in nutritional less than body requirement r/t inability to in digest

3. Self care deficit bathing r/t musculoskeletal impairment

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 4. Self care deficit toileting r/t neuromuscular impairment

5. Impaired physical mobility r/t neuromuscular impairment

6. Sleeping pattern disturbed r/t coping ineffective individual

7. Alteration in thought process suicidal attempt r/t disturbed sleeping pattern

NURSING PLAN –

1. Nurse planned a pet therapy.

2. An animal can improve emotional and physical well- being & improve self esteem , BP
and social interaction.

NURSING IMPLEMENTATION –

1. Nurse select a dog named ‘champ’ was previously trained to work with handicapped.

2. Nurse made a champ substitute in her place because John was sick and could not take
care of himself.

EVALUATION

1. When he saw dog , there was a smile on her face and his upper body moved.

2. In first week, John accomplished 4 goal of Henderson theory

- Deep breathing

- Moving his upper body

- Sleep through all night

3. In next couple of weeks, 14 goal of basic need are accomplished

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- He shaved his beard

- Start communicate with his wife and kids

- No longer depressed