Discussion Nursing Theory- Dorothea Orem

According to Dorothea Orem Nursing is an act of assisting others through the provision and management of self-care to ensure that the improvement of human functioning when they are in the hospital or at home.  Nursing thus is supposed to increase the levels of effectiveness by focussing on the ability of the person to perform individual self-care s they can be responsible for their health, life, and wellbeing (Gonzalo). 

For a patient with a self-care deficit like a patient who has undergone Below the Knee Amputation, they may experience a number of symptoms like motionlessness, weakness, numbness, pain, incontinence, low-self-esteem, prone to infection and a visual and sexual disorder that might discourage them from pursuing self-care. However, the nurse can use Orem's model in upgrading the patient's self-care skills, which might not come naturally as would a patient with no form of disability.  The model is also important in reducing the complication of the Amputee during the recovery process (Gonzalo). BKA patients can benefit from long term care, self-care skills, and empowerment from the application of the model.  The nurse will be the most instrumental person here as he or she will ensure there is the improvement of knowledge of the patient in regard to skills needed for self-care and applying this model in the whole continuum of care like in physical therapy, clinical wards, and administration of medicine.  The nurse must emphasize the patient to take responsibility for their recovery, and if this is not realized, then the self-care skills must be taught to them.

Work Cited

Gonzalo, A. "Dorothea Orem: Self Care Deficit Theory Study Guide." 24 Aug. 2019, nurseslabs.com/dorothea-orems-self-care-theory/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2019.