Helen C.

Erickson
Theorist
 OBJECTIVES

❑ Discuss brief introduction of theorist

❑ Define modeling and role-modeling
❑ Define the theoretical source of the theory
❑ Explain metaparadigm of this theory
❑ We will learn about the theory and the four
metaparadigm; lastly
❑ Students will be able to aware the
importance of learning new skills in nursing
 Biography

1936 - born
She earned her graduate degree from the University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor in the mid-1970s.
1957 - received a diploma from Saginaw General
Hospital in Michigan
1974 - Baccalaureate in science in Nursing
1976 - Dual Masters’ of science in nursing degrees in
psychiatric nursing and medical-surgical nursing
1984 - Doctorate of educational psychology from
University of Michigan
 Professional Experience

❑ Began at University of Michigan School of Nursing as

Assistant Instructor in the RN Studies Program
❑ Named Chairperson of the Undergraduate Program and
Dean for Undergraduate Studies
❑ Head nurse of the Midland Community Hospital
Emergency Room in Midland,Texas
❑ Night Supervisor at Michigan State Home for the
Mentally Impaired and Handicapped in Mount Pleasant
❑ In 1960, she moved to Puerto Rico with her husband and
became Director of Health Services at Inter- American
University in San German until 1964
 Professional Experience

❑ Returning to the US, she worked as a staff nurse at

St. Joseph’s and University of Michigan Hospitals in
Ann Arbor, Michigan
❑ She later served as Mental Health nurse consultant
to the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program and the
Adult Intensive Care units at the University of
Michigan
❑ In 1988 she became Professor of Nursing, Chair of
Adult Health and Special Assistant to the Dean ,
Graduate Programs at the University of Texas School
of Nursing in Austin
 Affiliations

❖A member of the American Nurses

Association, American Nurses Foundation,
American Holistic Nurses Association,
Sigma Theta Tau and the Institute for the
Advancement of Health
❖A President of the Society for the
Advancement Modeling and Role-
Modeling (SAMRM) in 1986-1990
 AWARDS

➢ Received the Theta Tau Rho Chapter Award of

Excellence in Nursing in 1980
➢ The Amoco Foundation Good Teaching Award in 1982
➢ Faculty Teaching award from the University of Texas
School of Nursing
➢ Founders Award from the Sigma Theta Tau International
Honor Society in Nursing
➢ Excellence in Education Award from the Epsilon Theta
Chapter in 1993
➢ Graduate Faculty Teaching Award at University of Texas
School of Nursing in 1995
 AWARDS

➢ Holistic Nurse of the year in 2014

➢ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016
➢ AHNA Journal of Holistic Nursing Excellence in
Practice Writing Award in 2017
➢ In 2018, she received the Distinguished Alumni,
The University of Michigan School of Nursing
Award and the San Antonio, Texas University
Health Systems Living Legends Nursing Award
 Theory
The Modeling and Role Modeling Theory
Background: Created by Helen C. Erickson, along
with Evelyn M. Tomlin and Mary Ann P. Swain. It was
first published in their book, Modeling and Role
Modeling: A Theory and Paradigm for Nursing, which
was published in 1983. The Modeling and Role
Modeling Theory draws on concepts from Piaget’s
Theory of Cognitive Development, Maslow’s Theory
of Hierarchy of Needs, Erikson’s Theory of
Psychosocial Stages, and Selye and Lazarus’s General
Adaptation Syndrome.
 Theory
Erickson’s theory helps nurses care for their patients
by recognizing each individual's uniqueness, and
focusing on the individual patient’s needs. It is also
a self-care method of nursing, which means it is
based on the patient’s perceptions of the
environment, and adapts based on individual
stressors for that patient. The Modeling and Role
Modeling Theory of nursing helps the nurse to do
this by explaining some of the similarities and
differences among patients.
 Theory
Modeling and Role-Modeling
Modeling:
▪ Recognizes that each patient has a unique
perspective of his or her world
▪ Modeling is a process that enables a nurse to
understand that unique perspective and learn
to appreciate its importance to the patient.
▪ The nurse uses the process of modeling to
understand the world from the patient’s
perspective.
 Theory
Modeling and Role-Modeling
Role-Modeling:
▪ Role modeling accepts each patient
regardless of his or her perspective on the
world, and cares for the patient in order to
work toward health.
▪ According to the nursing theory, the patient is
the expert in his or her own care, and knows
best in how he or she should be cared for to
get back to health.
 4 METAPARDIGM
NURSING
❑ The roles of nursing are facilitation, nurturance,
and unconditional acceptance
❑ 5 goals of Nursing Intervention

1. To build trust
2. To promote the patient’s positive orientation
3. To promote the patient’s control
4. To affirm and promote the patient's strength
5. To set mutual, health-directed goals
 4 METAPARDIGM
ENVIRONMENT
What can promote optimal health?
✓ Strong support system
✓ External resources

What can detract from optimal health?

✓ Stress and Anxiety
✓ Attachment and Loss
 4 METAPARDIGM
PERSON
❑The patient is the expert! ❑Knowledge -
❑Unique perspective of his or Resources - Actions
her world ❑Response to stressors
❑Combination of body, mind, ❑Adaptation Potential
emotion, & spirit ❑Equilibrium vs.
❑Think patient-centered care maladaptive
❑Affiliated Individuation equilibrium
❑Support system accepts ❑Arousal
patient's individuality ❑Impoverishment
❑Self-Care
 4 METAPARDIGM
HEALTH
o Intrinsic Abilities
o Genetics and prenatal/perinatal occurrences
o Selye's General Adaption Syndrome
o Physiological response to stress
o Psychosocial Stages → attitudes & strengths
o Cognitive Abilities → depend on sequence
 Helen C. Erickson

REFERENCES:
Helen C. Erickson - Nursing Theory. (2019, September 17).
Nursing Theory. https://nursing-theory.org/nursing-
theorists/Helen-C-Erickson.php

Helen Erickson - nursing theorist.

(n.d.). http://www.whyiwanttobeanurse.org/nursing-
theorists/helen-erickson.php

Helen L. Erickson. (n.d.). School of

Nursing. https://nursing.utexas.edu/faculty/helen-l-Erickson