Virginia Henderson Nursing Need Theory

In the nursing field are duty is to help individuals. The basic structure of this is to fulfill the needs of our patients. There are many characteristics and traits one must have to be a successful nurse. These characteristics are often learned and grown when pursing the best care for the patient. Thus leading me to my topic which is the need theory. This theory provides nurses with a lot of successful information. It guides nurses to be a great nurse and a great health care provider. The individual who made the nursing need theory was Virginia Henderson. Virginia Henderson graduated from the Army School of Nursing at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. In 1932. After graduation Henderson continued her education and earned her masters

These four main concepts are environment, individual, health, and nursing. Each of these four words hold a specific part in the nursing profession. For environment Virginia Henderson talks about how individuals learn how to live in unique settings by patterns. Environment does affect ones life, so it is important to be able to teach and inform individuals of certain environments. When Henderson talks about individuals and health they go hand and hand amongst each other. She states how individuals have basic needs and that these needs guide us to health. These basic needs allow for the individual to know when they are hurting, depressed, or just incapable of completed the simple tasks. This helps guide the individual to knowing when his or her health is not the best. Lastly the nursing part of her theory pertains to the capability of performing all fourteen components independently. These fourteen components are a huge part of her theory. These components make it easy for one to see if one is ready to be indented and return back to their daily lives. These are the fourteen components: 1. Breathe normally, 2. Eat and drink adequately, 3. Eliminate body wastes, 4. Move and maintain desirable postures, 5. Sleep and rest, 6. Select suitable clothes – dress and undress, 7. Maintain body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying environment, 8. Keep the body clean and well groomed and protect the integument, 9. Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others, 10. Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions, 11. Worship according to one’s faith, 12. Work in such a way that there is sense of accomplishment, 13. Play or participate in various forms of recreation, 14. Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities. This information and components are what makes