Conventionally, a paradigm is a set of agents in a particular field that provide a framework that guides the functionality of a given discipline. The nursing framework features a representation of global ideas about people, groups and other phenomena related to medical service provision. As posited in different pharmacological literature, the model has four concepts namely person, environment, health and nursing practice. Ideally, all these concepts are congruous with Faye Glenn Abdellah’s theory which emphasizes the need for nurses to embrace a patient-centered attitude rather than a disease-centered approach. A breakdown of the four concepts of the paradigm embedded in the Abdellah’s theory and how they improve can be used to improve the quality of care form the basis of discussion for this paper.
Abdellah’s Theory
This school of thought is among the most perceptible ideologies that define the contemporary nursing practice. Developed in 1957, the theory is tailored toward molding attributes and functional capacities of a nurse into a form that can help patients to deal with their health needs (Alligood, 2017). It is therefore a fundamental framework upon which nurses, clinicians, doctors and other home-based caregivers should adopt for better healthcare delivery. The patient-centeredness aspect of this conjecture makes it ideal for the provision of high-quality care. In addition, the approach guarantees cost-effective practices, making it a preferable home model. In the following section, the analysis of the four concepts of nursing blended in Abdellah’s theory and how they can be used to impact positively on healthcare are featured.
The Person
As the term suggests, the concept of “person” is implicit in focusing on the patient, who is the primary recipient of nursing care. This facet of the model can be used to help nurses to focus more on the issues of the patient who is undergoing treatment. Such issues may comprise the person’s culture, beliefs, spirituality and economic status. In the wide scope of nursing, the concept of “person” promotes the practice of satisfying human needs through the provision of quality human care (Black, 2019). This argument is highly congruous with Abdellah’s patient-centered theory, which holds that every human being has a unique set of needs that should be honored irrespective of the individual’s customs and beliefs.
The Environment
The aspect of environment generally defines the external and internal surroundings of a patient. The nature of a patient’s domain has a significant impact on his prognosis and the time taken for complete recovery. The element of environment in the nursing paradigm correlates greatly with Abdellah’s patient-centered theory. According to the theory, nurses have a responsibility to establish and maintain a favorable patient environment. For example, they should carefully plan visiting hours for patients and monitor the type of persons allowed to interact with the patient during and after treatment.
It is advisable that if the patient is in critical conditions, outsiders, including family members, should not be permitted to see or question him. In that regard, nurses can use the concept of environment to improve the quality of care by ensuring patients are comfortable and interact with the right people throughout the treatment period. This makes them feel safe and less pressured, thus improving their chances of recovery. On the same note, it is prudent to ensure that patients are always in quiet serenity, away from distractions such as city ambience and loud music (Rodgers et al., 2018). Such an environment makes patients feel more relaxed and consequently alleviates anxiety.
From the discussion above, it is evident that the concept of environment is inextricably embedded in the ideals of Abdellah’s theory since it is patient-centric and can greatly improve the quality of care. Ideally, the patient’s environment is an important aspect to consider since it can affect the treatment and healing process. The section below highlights the third aspect of the model and its contribution to proper healthcare delivery
Health
As one of the concepts of the nursing model, health denotes the state of a patient’s condition. In her theory, Abdellah argued that health goes beyond finding the cure for an illness. Whereas treating a disease is imperative, there are additional implications that go beyond the physiological response. One of the key proponents of health that are featured in Abdellah’s theory is the notion of nursing assessment (Nikfarid et al., 2018). From a general medical perspective, it is prudent to tend to the health of patients by evaluating them based on their individual needs.
The level of assessment has a direct implication on the patient’s ability to maintain optimal health. The fact that a patient appears healthy does not necessarily mean that they have completely recovered. Therefore, to promote better and quality care, nurses should conduct frequent assessments and observations to effectively monitor the nature of a patient’s health. Similarly, the regular checks must be accompanied by proper record keeping, highlighting different operations and medication to be administered to the patients at the required time. The theory further emphasizes the importance of illness prevention. Optimal health can only be achieved through both prevention and patient-centered care, which are core tenets of Abdellah’s theory.
Nursing Practice
This aspect dictates how nurses apply their skills and expertise in caring for patients. It focuses on the traits or attributes of the nurse who is the primary healthcare provider. Similar to all the other concepts of the nursing paradigm, nursing practice resonates with Abdellah’s theory (Nikfarid et al.,2018). According to the conjecture, nurses need to establish a close relationship with their patients. Conventionally, nurses should embody the attributes of care and compassion. They should direct their entire attention on patients by providing both physical and mental care.
Leveraging nurtures meaningful relationships that nurses should use to ensure that patients feel comfortable and at peace. Such relationships strengthen the bond between patients and nurses thus promoting recovery. Subsequently, nurses should easily gain access to additional patient information which can help establish the latter’s medical history or resistance to certain drugs. The need for nurses to know more about a patient is one of the elements posited in Abdellah’s patient-centered theory and should therefore be upheld for achieving quality care delivery.
Conclusion
In essence, Abdellah’s patient-centered theory incorporates all the four aspects of the nursing paradigm. The theory touches on the physical, emotional and sociological needs of patients. Additionally, it addresses the nature of interrelationships between nurses and patients with close regard to patient-oriented care. Undoubtedly, all these aspects are congruous with the concepts of the person, health, environment and nursing practice. Going through this paper, one can easily note how each of the four concepts of nursing is reflected in Abdellah’s theory.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2017). Introduction to nursing theory: Its history and significance. Nursing Theorists and their Work E-Book, 1(12), 121-134
Black, B. (2019). Professional nursing e-book: concepts & challenges. Elsevier Health Sciences, ninth Edition, 11(2)234
Nikfarid, L., Hekmat, N., Vedad, A., & Rajabi, A. (2018). The Main Nursing Metaparadigm Concepts in Human Caring Theory and Persian Mysticism: a Comparative Study. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine. Web.
Rodgers, B. L., Jacelon, C. S., & Knafl, K. A. (2018). Concept analysis and the advance of nursing knowledge: state of the science. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50(4), 451-459.