Nursing Theory I

2. Henderson’s Philosophy

Virginia Henderson’s Need Theory

In 1966, Henderson uniquely defined nursing separating it from medicine and concerned both in healthy and ill individuals.

She developed the 14 Fundamental needs:

1. Breathing normally
2. Eating and drinking adequately
3. Eliminating body wastes
4. Moving and maintaining a desirable position
5. Sleeping and resting
6. Selecting suitable clothes
7. Maintaining body temperature within normal range adjusting and modifying the environment
8. Avoiding dangers in the environment and avoiding injuring others
9. Keeping the body clean and well-groomed to protect the integument
10. Communicating with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears and emotions
11. Worshipping according to one’s faith
12. Working in such a way that one feels a sense of accomplishment
13. Playing or participating in various forms of recreations
14. Learning, discovering or satisfying the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and using available facilities

Besides, Henderson put emphasis on nursing independence, interdependence with other health care discipline. She was one of the first modern nurses to define nursing as “The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well in the performance of those activities contributing to the health or its recovery. (or to peaceful death)”. Means he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge and to do such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible. Therefore, Henderson (1966) described nursing in relation to client and the client’s environment as compared to nightingale, Henderson saw the nurse as concerned with both the healthy and the ill individual.