In today’s society, there are multiple kinds of theories that focus on different psychological, social, and human behaviors. Evaluating a theory is important to better understand the structure and its need for use in practice or study. Theory evaluation often generates new thoughts, strengths, and weaknesses of the theory examined (McEwen, 2014). Theories often display past behaviors and viewpoints and in the future applied to improve practice or gain further research within an area.
Clarity and Design of the Theory
The theory I chose to further examine was Maslow’s Theory of Human Needs. Maslow’s Theory and Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology. I selected to further examine this theory as though it is not a direct nursing
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The theory is specific to the field of nursing and those that help take care of others. The purpose is justifiably a nursing purpose and reflects nursing actions by addressing a core concept of focusing on the person as a human-being, and addressing what they define as needs and how to meet those needs. The Theory of Motivation may be “applied in nursing, in the attempt to understand the service of the human being and the dynamics that involves the people delivering and receiving care” (Porto & Regis, 2011). The theory could be applied to determine nursing interventions to meet one’s needs, or to determine a patient’s sense of fulfillment for a goal.
Examples of this theory used in nursing include:
• Maslow’s basic physiologic need for food-related to hospital nutrition while the patient is sick. Take into consideration does the patient have any cultural dietary preferences or allergies. Make sure patient’s need is satisfied, for example, a patient received a tray containing beef and green beans. The patient’s religion restricts eating beef, and he doesn’t like green beans.
• Maslow’s safety need- does the patient feel safe in their environment not only at the hospital but at home. Is there a resource you can provide to them? Establish nurse-patient trust rapport. For example, the patient is in an abusive relationship at home in which you identified during the HITS questionnaire; provide the patient with appropriate resources and a safe environment before continuing
Maslow’s original theory talked about a pyramid shape of achievements that every person unknowingly is striving to achieve. The bottom level is physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, and warmth. As we move up the pyramid next is safety which is security (money), stability, and freedom of fear. These two bottom sections of the pyramid are known as the basic needs because everyone on earth requires these basic needs to move to the next level of the pyramid. The next level is belonging/ love needs consisting of friends, family, spouse, or lover. From here on up your base needs are very helpful in reaching your next needs, Self-esteem which includes achievement, mastery, recognition, and respect. Lastly is your self-actualization need where ...
There are many definitions to theory. According to Akers (2009) “theories are tentative answers to the commonly asked questions about events and behavior” (Akers, (2009, p. 1). Theory is a set of interconnect statements that explain how two or more things are related in two casual fashions, based upon a confirmed hypotheses and established multiple times by disconnected groups of researchers.
Many theorist throughout the nursing history have provided concrete ideas to improve patient outcomes by providing quality of care. One theorist used is the Maslow’s Hierarchy; which focuses that an individual basic needs must be met before any other need.
According to Abraham Maslow, individuals are motivated to fulfill specific needs (Winston, 2016). To outline these needs he created a hierarchy of needs that proceeds upward in order of what human beings require to live a full life (Winston, 2016). The first of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs being physiological needs, or the most basic, including bodily functions such as eating, drinking and reproducing (Harrigan & Commons, 2015).
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology that was first presented by Abraham Maslow in a paper entitled “A Theory of Human Motivation” in 1943. The theory includes five hierarchy levels of needs and is usually displayed as a pyramid. The bottom level is “Physiological”, the next level is “Safety”, the level above that is “Social”, the next level is “Esteem” and the highest level is “Self-actualization”. As told by McLeod (2007) an individual must fulfill lower level needs before advancing upwards towards the next level of needs. The bottom level, “Physiological” needs are basic physical requirements such as; food, water sleep and warmth, the next level up is “Security” and it refers to
The second set of needs in Maslow’s hierarchy are security needs because when people have the means to survive, they strive to protect themselves from physical and economical harm so that they can continue surviving. Once again, I am grateful that I live a very privileged life compared to many, for I have never had to truly worry about my security. I live a fairly stable life in a fairly stable neighborhood. Also, I am glad that I live in America because I know of several
The strength of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that it has influenced practice in childcare settings as it aids in the understanding of the child more clearly and children and young people can be helped in ensuring that their basic needs are met in order or them to learn and make the correct choices about their health, safety and well-being. However a weakness of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that it cannot be tested or measured precisely if one need has been fulfilled before the next need has to be achieved.
Abraham Maslow, a researcher in psychology contributed to the field f science by analysis how motives are organized in a hierarchy and describes the formula for a healthy personality. The Maslow Hierarchy of Needs is a systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before less basic needs are aroused. Many stages are arranged in the hierarchy; from progressively less basic needs are at the top of the pyramid, towards regression of lower needs that are not being satisfied at the bottom. The lowest stage on the pyramid, physiological needs, is defined as the most basic needs for dealing with the maintenance of the body, such as hunger, thirst, and so forth (Weiten, 2013). One of the individuals who achieved the need was Joe. He was brought to the hospital for immediate blood transfusion because his white blood count has significantly decreased, which could lead to infection. This is an example of physiological needs because going to the hospital is maintaining the human body, which is extremely necessary for survival (Walker & George,
There are set definitions of nursing made by every nurses association and dictionary. However, nursing goes beyond the definition and has distinct meaning to each individual nurse whether they are aware of the meaning or not. Several nurses have chosen to publicize their beliefs about nursing into their own nursing theory. Other nurses may have ideas similar to these theories, completely different from the theories, or a combination of multiple theories. Some nurses may have never even considered what nursing truly means to them. However, it isn’t until nurses sit down and truly look at what nursing means to them that they can fulfill their duties as a nurse to their full potential. In any philosophy of nursing there are four metaparadigms
The American Nursing Association defines nursing as ““protection, promotion, and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” (American Nurse Association, 2011, p. 7). There is so much more to nursing as a whole moreover throughout this paper I will be examining my own personal nursing philosophy, which is what I believe is the core characteristics of nursing, the approach of my nursing philosophy, along with my belief and value system of caring, compassion, advocacy, respect, honesty and integrity. I will be discussing my choice of becoming a nurse, what
With satisfaction of both the physiological and the safety needs respectively, the needs for love, affection and belongingness come into view. Abraham Maslow suggested that at this level, one incapacitates the emotional state of aloneness and estrangement. With this need, one gives and as well receives Love, Affection and Belongingness.
King, I. M. (1971). Toward a theory for nursing; general concepts of human behavior. New York: Wiley.
Nursing theory is the foundation in which the nursing profession stands on. Nurses learn about nursing theories and determine which theory or theories is a best fit. Those theories guide their profession, and nurses study to put those theories into practice. Doing so ensures the welfare of the patients, and the integrity of the profession is protected as well.
The first need theory is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. Grensing-Pophal (2002) stated that Maslow developed five levels that describe the needs of a person. The first level is physiological comforts. These are the basic survival needs of a person, such as food, water and shelter. The second level is safety needs. Ramlall (2004) further described these safety needs in three areas: economic (such as wages and benefits), psychological (such as work stability), and physical (such as physical work environment and breaks). The third level is social fulfillment needs (Grensing-Pophal 2002). These needs deal with friendship and interacting with other people. The fourth level is satisfaction of the ego. These needs focus on being respected, self-esteem, and recognition. The final le...
Abraham Maslow wrote the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. This theory was based on fulfilling five basic needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization. Maslow believed that these needs could create internal pressures that could influence the behavior of a person. (Robbins, p.204)