Nursing is an important element of health-care since it focuses on providing care to individuals. The occupation necessitates focus and commitment to providing care aimed at improving and sustaining health. Nurses operate in a variety of specialties with varying levels of authority. Most nurses work under the supervision of doctors, but the legislation allows them to practice freely in most cases, depending on their degree of training and experience. Nursing as a profession advanced over time, particularly in the twentieth century. The evolution of the profession has resulted in the emergence of several nursing theories. Nursing models incorporate the profession's essential beliefs, characteristics, and ideals (Meehan, 2012). The principles provide the basis for nursing practice in many dimensions including nursing assessment, intervention, and evaluation. They also lay the foundation for the development of knowledge and concepts related to nursing. Many nursing theories have been developed. They vary regarding the scope of knowledge from grand nursing to mid-range theories. Sister Callista Roy designed adaptation model of nursing. The theory typically vies an individual as a set of interrelated systems from biological and social. It holds that nurses have the responsibility to ensure the adaptation of a person to the changing environment. This paper discusses the Adaptation model of nursing and analyzes how I as a nurse relate to the theory. I develop my nursing philosophy and challenges that make it impossible for me to practice fully.
The Adaptation Model of Nursing
Roy’s adaptation model is among the prominent nursing models that aim at explaining nursing science. Sister Callista Roy developed the model in the 1970s. It views an individual through interrelated variables that aim at maintaining balance amongst various stimuli. The theory has five major components that include the person, environment, health, nursing, and adaptation. According to Roy, humans interact with the environment in different capacities hence different outcomes (Jones and Barlett Learning, 2012). They use a system of adaptation to respond to the various stimuli in the environment. Roy defines the environment as a system of conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect the development of humans. The environment is typically the stimulus which can be both negative and positive. She categorized stimuli into three. They include focal stimuli, contextual stimuli, and residual stimuli. Roy viewed health as a state where humans are capable of adapting to different stimuli. Typically, according to Roy, the goal of nursing is to promote continual adaptation in humans hence improving health, quality of life and the aspect of dying with dignity. In this model, nurses have the vital role as facilitators of the adaptation process. Nurses assess the individual patient behaviors of adaptation, enhance environmental conditions to contribute to positive adaptation, and assist patients to react positively to stimuli. Adaptation is the process whereby people respond to the different stimuli.
The role of a nurse, according to the model, is to decrease, increase, alter or remove stimuli depending on the type of stimuli. The nurse does this so as to make a diagnosis of the person’s adaptive state, implement the necessary interventions aimed at containing the stimuli, and eventually evaluate on whether the mechanism used works efficiently. The adaptation model by Roy is among the most useful frameworks for nursing practice, research and education (Bhanji, 2012).Roy insists on both individual and group coping techniques. In the regulator cognate, the patient copes individually, while in the stabilizer and innovator system the individuals deal as a group. The theory holds that the environment plays a vital responsibility in the general development of a person’s health. Roy argues that nursing is the backbone of helping patients to develop coping techniques hence promoting positive outcomes. The model describes nursing as the “science and practice that expands adaptive abilities and enhances person and environmental transformation with the goal of promoting adaptation for individuals and groups” (Bhanji, 2012).The theory includes both scientific and philosophical perspectives on nursing as a profession. Roy believes that health is rather unrealistic when considering patients with chronic and terminal illnesses. The adaptation model of nursing ideas and concepts are essential for the nursing practice and research.
My Philosophy of Nursing
I believe in providing care that contributes to the holistic life of the patient. The concepts presented by Roy that emphasize on nurses responsibility to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient’s adaptive behaviors describes how I work on a daily basis. I aim at providing the best efficient care possible. My philosophy is that I have a responsibility to ensure health and quality life for every individual. My fundamental values include persistence, patience, honesty, kindness and the openness to learning. I believe that nursing is a dynamic career where the key values remain the same while keeping in mind evolution is inevitable. Like the content presented by Roy, I believe changes in the environment ultimately alter the concepts of nursing practice. I receive different cases on a daily basis that not only challenge me but also enable me to grow as a nurse. I believe the central role of nursing is providing care and knowledge in the health sector. The sole focus of nursing is the patient. It encompasses patient needs and healing. I always intend to inspire hope into my patients and their families as I empower them to embrace life.
As I engage in the daily activities of my profession, I always work efficiently and diligently knowing my actions make a difference. In our profession, our actions differentiate between death and life for individuals. I identify with many of nursing theories that have been developed throughout the decades. However, I believe the concepts described in Roy’s adaptation model describe the vital role of nursing to health and the quality of life. I initially chose to nurse as a profession because I enjoy helping people. Nursing has been very satisfying to me as an individual. It is more than a mere means of earning cash to pay my bills. However, it is important for me to develop as I advance in this profession technologically. I enjoy nursing since it brings new opportunities for me to help people on a daily basis. I believe I get better each day and aim to contribute more to this sector than when I was fresh into the profession. I plan to take leadership roles and mentor others on this fulfilling job. It is my strong belief that I can play a role in contributing more to health and the quality of life.
Barriers to Full Implementation of My Philosophy
Nursing is a demanding career that requires dedication especially in relation to time. A large number of patients demands speed and efficiency. While I try to work within these frameworks, it is almost impossible to primarily analyze the conditions of all the patients within the limited time periods. I cannot keep inspiring one patient while another one remains unattended. The increase in the number of nurses will reduce the workload per nurse and hence facilitate adequate care. Promoting health and quality of life is not an individual effort. For me to implement my philosophy, it is important for other nurses within my workplace and across the globe to share my dreams. That is one of the reasons why I aspire to be a leader and a mentor to encourage nurses on our role as facilitators of health and quality of life. I want to inspire people to join nursing since it is one of the most respectable and fulfilling careers. To be able to take leadership roles, I have to gain a few years of experience and advance on my academic achievement. It is also crucial to specialize on the management aspect of nursing. I plan to develop my studies to increase my chances of leadership roles and hence greater authority that will allow me to implement my philosophy fully.
Other minor workplace problems such as abuse by patients, their families, and other nurses limit chances of empowering and encouraging patients. Since I interact with patients more than the physicians, sometimes questions asked by patients about details of their conditions that can be efficiently answered by the doctor make me feel like the framework of nursing limits my philosophy. However, I enjoy providing care to patients and have since learned to familiarize myself with their conditions as much as possible.
Conclusion
Roy’s adaptation model holds that views an individual as a set of interrelated variables that aims to create balance within the environment. The environment provides stimuli to individuals that can be both positive and adverse. According to Roy, the role of nurses is to increase, decrease, or remove the incentives depending on the types. The theory holds that nurses are practitioners who seek to advance health and quality of life.
I aim to diligently and efficiently provide patients with care. My fundamental values include honesty, kindness, persistence, and patience. I always make sure these values are in play when delivering care to my patients. I enjoy nursing since it challenges me daily and presents new opportunities for growth. Nursing is satisfying and encourages one to continue to develop health and advance the quality of life as theorized in Roy’s adaptation model.
References
Bhanji, M. S. (2012). Comparison And Contracts of Orem's Self Care Theory and Roy's Adaptation Model. Journal of Nursing, 48-53.
Jones and Barlett learning. (2012). Roy Adaptation Model: Sister Callista Roy. NursingTheories;A Framework for proffessional Practice, 127-142.
Meehan , T. C. (2012). The Careful nursing Philosophy and proffessional Practice model. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2905-2916.
