Dorothea E. Orem has established the Self Care Deficit Theory as a result of efforts to improve the quality of care at state general hospitals. This model connects concepts in a way that provides a new perspective on a particular phenomenon. The premise is simple, but it can be applied to a wide range of patients. The theory is of interest to the writer, because nurses can use it to guide and improve their practices, when being consistent with other established theories, principles, and laws.
The table 1 provides a brief information about the self-care deficit theory, including its analysis.
Table 1: Description of Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory
Self-care deficit theory identifies when nursing assistance is needed. According to Orem, nursing is essential if adults are unable or restricted to take care of themselves continuously and effectively (Hartweg & Metcalfe, 2022). Acting for others, acting, guiding others, supporting others, creating an environment that leads to self-development that leads to future expectations, and educating others are five techniques that help be identified by the theory (Miller, 2002). The main premise of self-care deficit nursing theory is that every patient has a desire to care for himself so that they can heal faster and more overall as much as possible (Shelly & Miller, 2006). This approach is especially useful in rehabilitation and primary care settings, as well as in other settings where patients are encouraged to be self-sufficient.
The theory is highly clear while representing the main idea of the factors that identify when nursing care is required. The theory provides three categories of the requirements for self-care, which makes it organized and consistent (Hartweg & Metcalfe, 2022). Dorothea Orem categorizes self-care needs into three categories, where the first is the universal self-care requirement, which is a requirement that everyone has. Examples of such requirement include air, activity, food, rest, and security. The second category is the need for developmental self-care, which can be divided into two categories: maturity and situation. Mature self-care requirements help patients reach a higher level of maturity, while context-sensitive self-care requirements help patients avoid adverse developmental consequences (Newman, 2005). The third group is the need for health deviance, which is the need that arises from the patient’s condition. “Self-care deficit” occurs when a patient is unable to meet their self-care needs (Tanaka, 2022). In this case, the patient’s caregiver will provide assistance in the form of full or partial compensation, guidance, and support.
The theory is explained in an accessible manner, which makes it simple to follow and understand. The scope of concepts includes the concepts of self-care, self-care requisites, maturational self-care requisites, and situation self-care requisites. However, despite being one of the most extensively utilized ideas in practice, the self-care deficit hypothesis has a limited empirical background (Tanaka, 2022). Only a few empirical research have looked into the theory in depth. Furthermore, the model has received minimal reliability and validity testing, and no evaluations of these constructs in the context of coronary care were found in the current research (Tanaka, 2022). This shows that the theoretical foundation has to be improved.
Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory has the advantage of being adaptable to a wide range of nursing situations and patients. The generality of its principles and concepts makes it easy to adapt to different situations, allowing caregivers and patients to work together to ensure that patients receive not only the best possible treatment but also their own treatment (Tanaka, 2022). Today’s nurses can apply Dorothea Orem’s ideas to patient care, and their passion for industry care and diligence can facilitate the transition from a hospital or full-time care facility to their home.
References
Hartweg, D. L., & Metcalfe, S. A. (2022). Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory: Relevance and Need for Refinement. Nursing science quarterly, 35(1), 70-76. Web.
Miller, B. (2002). Who needs theories, anyhow?: Critical thinking about faith, reason, and nursing theory. Journal of Christian Nursing, 19(3), 6-10. Web.
Newman, D. M. L. (2005). Complex patient needs? Nursing models can help. Journal of Christian Nursing, 22(1), 33-37. Web.
Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2006). Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Tanaka, M. (2022). Orem’s nursing self‐care deficit theory: A theoretical analysis focusing on its philosophical and sociological foundation. In Nursing Forum. Web.