Health As Expanding
●
Consciousness
APRIL 19, 2013 NURSING PATH NO COMMENTS
INTRODUCTION
● Tennessee, New York University,
Th
e theory of health as expanding
consciousness stems from Rogers'
theory of unitary human beings.
● The theory of health as expanding
consciousness was stimulated by
concern for those for whom health as
the absence of disease or disability is
not possible, (Newman, 2010).
● The theory has progressed to include
the health of all persons regardless of
the presence or absence of disease,
(Newman, 2010).
● The theory asserts that every person
in every situation, no matter how
disordered and hopeless it may seem,
is part of the universal process of
expanding consciousness – a process
of becoming more of oneself, of
finding greater meaning in life, and of
reaching new dimensions of
connectedness with other people and
the world, (Newman, 2010).
BACHGROUND OF THE THEORIST
●
Born on October 10, 1933.
Bachelor’s degree - University of
●
Tennessee in 1962
Master’s degree - University of
California in 1964
● Doctorate - New York University in
1971
● She has worked in - University of
Pennsylvania State University,
University of Minnesotat, University of
Minnesota
THEORY DEVELOPMENT
She was influenced by following theorists:
● Martha Rogers
○ Martha Roger’s theory of
Unitary Human Beings was
the main basis of the
development of her theory,
Health as Expanding
Consciousness
● Itzhak Bentov – The concept of
evolution of consciousness
● Arthur Young – The Theory of Process
● David Bohm – The Theory of Implicate
ASSUMPTIONS
1. Health encompasses conditions
heretofore described as illness, or, in
medical terms, pathology
2. These pathological conditions can be
considered a manifestation of the total
pattern of the individual
3. The pattern of the individual that
eventually manifests itself as
pathology is primary and exists prior to
structural or functional changes
4. Removal of the pathology in itself will
not change the pattern of the indivdual
5. If becoming ill is the only way an
individual's pattern can manifest itself,
then that is health for that person
6. Health is an expansion of
consciousness.
DESCRIPTION OF THE THEORY
● “The theory of health as expanding
consciousness (HEC) was stimulated
by concern for those for whom health
as the absence of disease or disability
is not possible. Nurses often relate to
 such people: people facing the being (disease) with its opposite (non-
uncertainty, debilitation, loss and disease) results in what can be
eventual death associated with regarded as health”.
chronic illness. The theory has
progressed to include the health of all Nursing
persons regardless of the presence or
absence of disease. The theory ● Nursing is “caring in the human health
asserts that every person in every experience”.
situation, no matter how disordered ● Nursing is seen as a partnership
and hopeless it may seem, is part of between the nurse and client, with
the universal process of expanding both grow in the “sense of higher
consciousness – a process of levels of consciousness”
becoming more of oneself, of finding
greater meaning in life, and of Human
reaching new dimensions of
connectedness with other people and
● “The human is unitary, that is cannot
the world” (Newman, 2010).
be divided into parts, and is
● Humans are open to the whole energy
inseparable from the larger unitary
system of the universe and constantly
field”
interacting with the energy. With this
● “Persons as individuals, and human
process of interaction humans are
beings as a species are identified by
evolving their individual pattern of
their patterns of consciousness”…
whole.
● “The person does not possess
● According to Newman understanding
consciousness-the person is
the pattern is essential. The
consciousness”.
expanding consciousness is the
● Persons are “centers of
pattern recognition.
consciousness” within an overall
● The manifestation of disease depends
pattern of expanding consciousness”
on the pattern of individual so the
pathology of the diseases exists Environment
before the symptoms appear so
removal of disease symptoms does
not change the individual structure. ● Environment is described as a
● Newman also redefines nursing “universe of open systems”
according to her nursing is the
process of recognizing the individual
in relation to environment and it is the
process of understanding of
consciousness.
● The nurse helps to understand people
to use the power within to develop the STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
higher level of consciousness.
● Thus it helps to realize the disease Strengths
process, its recovery and prevention.
● Newman also explains the ● Can be applied in any setting
interrelatedness of time, space and ● “Generates caring interventions”
movement.
● Time and space are the temporal W eaknesses
pattern of the individual, both have
complementary relationship. ● Abstract
● Humans are constantly changing ● Multi-dimensional
through time and space and it shows ● Qualitative
unique pattern of reality. ● Little discussion on environment
NURSING PARADIGMS CRITIQUE
Health Clarity

● “Health and illness are synthesized as ● Semantic clarity is evident in the

health - the fusion on one state of definitions, descriptions, and
 dimensions of the concepts of the
theory.

Simplicity

● The deeper meaning of the theory of

health as expending consciousness is
complex.
● The theory as a whole must be
understood, nut just the isolated
concepts.

Generality

● The theory has been applied in

several different cultures
● It is applicable across the spectrum of
nursing care situations.

Empirical Precision

● Quantitative methods are inadequate

in capturing the dynamic, changing
nature of this theory.

Derivable Consequences

● Newman's theory provides an evolving

guide for all health-related disciplines.