Nursing Theorist Grid Essay Example

Nursing and also held the position of Director for the Graduate Program in Mental Health Psychiatric Nursing.

Ida Orlando assumed the position of principal investigator on a funding from the National Institute of Mental Health at Yale University. Unlike most nursing theories that were deductively formulated in the 1950s, she was the trailblazer in developing theories inductively through an empirical analysis of nursing actions. Her scrutiny and documentation of nurse-patient interactions over three years provided a base for her theory (Orlando, 1989; Pelletier, 1976)” (Alligood, 2010, p. 337). The nurses observed by Ida Orlando were categorized into two groups: proficient and deficient, which became instrumental to the development of her theory.

Key assumptions associated with major theories involve:

The theorist's perspective prompts us to examine: How is this idea linked to nursing practice and nursing education? Individuality Every person is distinct. As highlighted by Alligood (2010), the term individual implies a patient with needs that are yet unmet, which will be addressed through an intentional nursing method employed by the nurse. This process involves the use of the nurse's skills in observation as well as verbal and nonverbal communication (p. 340). The patient stands central to care provision and actively engages in its delivery and contribution.

The nurse will employ the systematic nursing process in evaluating the patient. The time spent interacting with the patient will help identify existing problems. As per Orlando's Deliberative Nursing Process Theory (1961), there is a dynamic and mutual relationship between a nurse and their patient - each influencing the other's behavior. For optimal outcomes, it's crucial that nurses focus on patients rather than making assumptions

about their issues or randomly choosing actions to take (Alligood, 2010). Today, Orlando's theory serves as an impetus for continued theoretical development aimed at improving future communication. This promotes better comprehension between patients and nurses, leading to well-informed patients and enhanced health results.

Alligood (2010, p. 345) suggests that a person's health is significantly impacted by their freedom from physical or mental suffering and the existence of wellbeing and sufficiency feelings. The model proposed by Orlando emphasizes the necessity of understanding a patient's disease from both a bodily and mental perspective. This perspective encompasses the meta-paradigm in healthcare that is intrinsically ingrained within the purposeful nursing theory philosophy. This concept implies that superior patient care requires liberating them from any discomfort, pain, misfortune or emotional turmoil (Orlando, 1961; Alligood, 2010, p. 343). It becomes a responsibility for mentors and educators to effectively transmit this knowledge to nurses. As nurses accumulate more experience in their field, they will be better prepared to accurately detect patients' physical and psychological problems and select the most appropriate interventions.

The proficient nurse identifies the issue and provides the solution to the patient. The nurse uses their analytical thinking and listening abilities to help solve the patient's problem (Alligood, 2010, p. 343). Orlando's theory was utilized in a long-term care facility where two separate female patients activated the call light. One woman was calling for any reason, while the other kept taking off her oxygen (Faust, 2002).

"By applying Orlando's theory, Faust's team could understand not only the thinking process of the women but also their motivators for certain behaviours. The use of research-backed evidence in devising strategic

interventions for patients with stressful behaviours often leads to beneficial results, according to Faust's observations" (Alligood, 2010, p. 347). Various educational resources can be utilized, contingent on the healthcare institution where the nurse is stationed. When patients require additional education or instructions, such resources are employed. Orlando (1961) caution nurses against treating patients prejudicially when applying nursing diagnosis, emphasizing that each patient should be seen as a unique individual rather than a problem or disease (Alligood, 2010, p. 345) Environment

Alligood (2010) stated that "The immediate situation is attributed to the environment" (p. 340). Orlando implies that the situation's circumstances shape the interaction between the patients and the nurses. Orlando, however, didn't delve into defining 'environment' in her theory. As nursing professionals, we must adopt an investigative approach towards understanding the environmental factors present in our patients' lives. The nurse embarks on a journey of discovery to understand how her words and actions influence the patient. "It is only through this method, the nurse can fully understand if her actions are indeed benefiting the patient or not" (Orlando, 1961, p. 67). As nurses, identifying the environmental stressors impacting our patients allows us to implement appropriate interventions for their care.