Faye G.Abdellah’s Patient centered approach in nursing theory By Oluyemisi A. Okudele

Faye Glenn Abdellah’s Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Faye Glenn Abdellah, pioneer nursing researcher, helped transform nursing theory, nursing care and nursing education . In 1960, She was influenced by the desire to promote client-centered comprehensive nursing care, Abdellah described nursing as a service to individuals, to families, and, therefore to, to society. Former  Chief Nurse Officer for the US  Public Health  Service , Department of Health and human services, Washington, D.C. Dr Abdellah worked  as Deputy Surgeon  General . Grand theory based on Human Needs.

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Patient-centered approach to nursing was developed by Faye G. Abdellah. Developed inductively from her practice and is considered a human needs theory. This theory was created to assist with nursing education, and is most applicable to the education of nurses. The intension was to guide care of patients in the hospital, it also has relevance for nursing care in community settings. According to Faye, nursing is based on an art and science that mould the attitudes, intellectual competencies, and technical skills of the individual nurse into the desire and ability to help people , sick or well, cope with their health needs

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Abdellah and her colleagues developed a list of 21 nursing problems. The 21 problems are actually a model describing the "arenas" or concerns of nursing, rather than a theory describing relationships among phenomena. In this way, the theory distinguished the practice of nursing, with a focus on the 21 nursing problems, from the practice of medicine, with a focus on disease and cure.  The theory also help to identify nursing responsibilities.

Nursing Responsibilities Effective communication between patient and caregiver. Information is accurate, timely and appropriate. Do everything possible to alleviate patients’ pain and make them feel comfortable. We provide emotional support and alleviate fears and anxiety. We involve family and friends in every phase of our patients’ care. We ensure a smooth transition and continuity from one focus of care to another. We guarantee every member of our community has access to our care.

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing They also identified 10 steps to identify the client’s problems: Which will help the nurses to learn to know the patient, Identify a therapeutic plan, discuss and develop a comprehensive nursing care plan. 11 nursing skills to be used in developing a treatment typology: Which includes the observation of health status, skills of communication, application of knowledge, teaching of patients and families, use of resource materials, use of personnel resources, problem-solving

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Application to nursing Abdellah’s theory state’s that nursing is the use of the problem solving approach with key nursing problems related to health needs of people. Health is a dynamic pattern of functioning whereby there is a continued interaction with internal and external forces that results in the optimum use of necessary resources that serve to minimize vulnerabilities. Such a statement maintains problem solving as the vehicle for the nursing problems as the client is moved toward health – the outcome.

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Researches Completed Oncology Nursing: Palliative Care; A Patient-Centered Approach -Is a method described in the  Patient-Centered Medicine--This approach to patient care focuses on balancing caring and curing in providing care for patients in the 21st century. Was used by clinicians from Australia and England. National Institute of Health: General practitioners and nurses in 21 practices were trained in patient-centered consulting and use of materials for people with Type 2 diabetes. Trained nurses rated delivery of important aspects of care and satisfaction with style of care as lower than comparison nurses, and patients were more positive about delivery of care from trained than comparison nurses.

Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing will be a good approach to use in my practice, since I worked with psychiatric patients (The Criminal Section). This will be a chance for the nurses to focus on the care of the patient, not their crime, because when a patient is been admitted, it has been the perspective of the nurses to judge them, based on the crime committed. Patient Centered Approach should be used; This approach to our patients will focus on balancing, caring, and also curing when we provide care for our patients.

References  Lehigh Valley Health Network: A passion for better Medicine ;The Patient-Centered Approach to Care. (2009). Retrieved September 21st 2009, from http://www.lvhn.org/nurses%7C631. Current Nursing: A portals for Nursing Professionals; Nursing Theories: A companion to nursing theories and models(2009). Retrieved September 21st 2009, from http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Abdellah.htm HighBeam Research: Palliative Care, Oncology Nursing Forum; A Patient-Centered Approach(2008). Retrieved September 21st 2009, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-181236355.html NCBI: A service of the U.S National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health; (1999). Diabetes care from diagnosis, effects of training in patient-centered care on beliefs, attitudes and behavior of primary care professionals. Retrieved September 21st 2009, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10640121?ordinalpos=9&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEn .Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum McEwen, M. & Wills, E.M. (2006). Theoretical Basis for Nursing: Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing (2nd Ed). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &Wilkins.