Concept Analysis: Adaptation In Nursing

Concept Analysis – Adaptation Introduction

A concept is a general idea, plan or understanding of something. The concept of adaptation is something that affects every living being, from a one celled organism all the way up to human beings. We all must adjust and acclimate in order to survive. I will explore what adaptation is, as well as how it applies to our nursing careers. We often research concepts in order to give them a true and in depth meaning. The meaning is something that moves us to think deeper and allows us a better understanding about the subject. It may be a source for change in our lives. I will discuss adaptation in relation to nursing and health, as well as climate

The following case will describe the importance of the process of adaptation. John is a 70 year old male newly diagnosed with CHF. He lives with his wife and has been retired for five years. The doctor has given the discharge orders. I will teach him about the disease before he leaves the hospital. The education started three days ago on admission. As the nurse I educate him on the six bullet points of CHF and describe the importance of this information. This begins to give John the awareness about the need for change. Next is motivation. John is very willing to take in all the information and asks questions about the low salt diet. Case management is involved to make sure John is able to buy the new medications prescribed and sets up a visiting nurse to make sure John succeeds at home. I ask John to tell me what he remembers about CHF. He does very well, with his wife’s help recalling many of the important facts. He is reminded he will have the written material to refer back to. John was called a couple days after discharge and is doing well. He takes the medications as prescribed and is weighing himself every day. John has remained out of the hospital and it has been over six months. This is a case of positive adaptation. John was able to incorporate a low salt diet; he is losing weight, and has stopped smoking. John

Adaptation is a difficult concept to measure. We may use surveys or interviews, which allows the public to be a part of the decision making process. This helps us gather useful information in order to better understand the adaptation process. How do we define what effective adaptation is? Is it relevant, which means is it important? Is it effective, does it have the ability to produce a desired result? Is it efficient, this is often measureable and has the capability of bringing about a desired result with little waste. Is it sustainable, the ability to continue for a long period of time? I found a couple tools. The first is related to CHF patients and how they manage their