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Virginia Henderson Theory

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The Virginia Henderson Need Theory

Samantha Hodge
Estrella Mountain Community College
English 102
Professor Jason Guertin
December 18, 2015

The Virginia Henderson Theory

Nursing theories have been in existence for many years, however, the use of these theories in practice have been minimal (Younas & Sommer 2015). In many nursing schools however, students are mandated to apply nursing theories. Application of these have indicated improved organization in practice and higher quality of care, while in reality practicing nurses do not utilized these teachings (Younas & Sommer 2015). In this paper, Virginia Henderson Theory will be analyzed to show how it can be applied to the clinical setting. The components of this theory as it relates to human needs will be examined and the nurse’s role with regards to patient care.
The Need Theory
Henderson’s theory surrounds the concept of getting the patient to a state of independence, so as to promote continued wellness after hospitalization (Younas & Sommer 2015). The theory also grouped nursing care into fourteen components which are very similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs diagram. These needs range from physiological needs, which accounts for the first nine components to psychological needs which covers the tenth and fourteenth components (Younas & Sommer 2015). The eleventh component deals with the patient’s spiritual and moral needs, and the remaining two components are sociological which focus on job related matters and entertainment needs (Younas & Sommer 2015).
Components of the Need Theory
In addition, Henderson further elaborated on the role nurses play in facilitating the patient’s progress to independence. In the substitutive stage, an assessment of the patient’s needs and limitations are evaluated and in this stage the nurse is actively caring for these

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