Caring Theory Or Nurse-Patient Relationship Theory

Choose a caring theory or nurse-patient relationship theory. Provide an overview of the selected theory.
The caring theory that I chose to discuss this week is Joanne Duffy’s quality-caring model. Dr. Duff’s developed the model in 2003 because she noticed that nurses did not seem to care. Formulizing the model tends to improve the care in nursing and to guide nurses to practice.
The model consists of four concepts: humans in relationship, relationship-centered professional encounters, feeling cared for, and self-advancing systems. In addition to the four concepts, Dr. Duffy also defined the role of a nurse and emphasized a nurse’s responsibilities: (1) continuously attain advance knowledge and expertise, (2) initiate, cultivate, and sustain

caring relationships with patients, families, and other professionals, (3) maintain an ongoing awareness of the patient or family point of view, (4) carry on self-caring activities, (5) integrate caring relationships, (6) engage in continuous research, (7) contribute to the knowledge of caring, (8) maintain an open, flexible approach, (9) use measures of caring. Furthermore, Dr. Duffy’s quality-caring model also includes four caring relationships: relationship with self, community, patient/family, and health care team. The last part of the Duffy’s quality-caring model is the caring factors. Eight caring factors are included in the model: (1) mutual problem-solving, (2) attentive reassurance, (3) human respect, (4) encouraging manner, (5) appreciation of unique meaning, (6) healing environment, (7) affiliation needs, (8) basic human needs.
What was the theory’s goal in relationship to nursing?
The theory’s goal was to guide professional practice, describe the conceptual-theoretical-empirical linkages between quality of care and human care, and propose a research agenda that would provide evidence of the value of nursing.

Additionally, Dr. Duffy’s quality-caring model highlights caring as a value held most high by nurses (O'Nan, Jenkins, Morgan, Adams, & Davis, 2014). Nurses will function better when guidance is available. Dr. Duffy’s quality-caring model guides nurses’ behaviors when they deliver care.
Discuss the practice applications of the theory.
Dr. Duffy’s quality-caring model is applicable and measurable. The four concepts of the model guides nurses how to care patients in the clinical settings. Recognizing different types of relationships provides an understanding of caring and promotes the quality of care. For example, I currently work as a telephonic cares manager at Humana. All my patients never meet me, which challenges me to build a sense of trust in the beginning. However, caring, honesty, and open hearted are ice breakers. When my patients feel the sense of caring, they are apt to open up to accept me.
Incorporate the theory into patient-centered care by providing an

example.
In addition to using the four concepts as a guidance, the role and responsibilities of a nurse from Duffy’s quality of care also reassure my professional action.

I never stops to educate myself. I consider myself as a life-long learner. The profession of nursing offers an opportunity for me to learn daily because I always learn something every day. Once I learn something new, I like to apply it to my practice. Duffy’s quality of caring guides me to practice. I just had a 64-year-old patient who is going to have dialysis the first time. Understanding the anxiety that she had was more important than educating the process of dialysis. The patient stated that she wanted to live longer and finally decided to have the dialysis, but she was nervous about this. A care plan relate to coping mechanism was developed because showing a sense of sympathy and caring could help her to relieve the anxiety. When caring is evident, patients enhance self-esteem, quality of life, knowledge and coping mechanisms, as well as decreased lengths of stay and healthcare costs (Desmond, et al., 2014). On the other hand, in an uncaring situation, a patient feels humiliated, vulnerable, and

frightened.