Self-care is the key to effective treatment and health maintenance. Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory suggests a particular focus on nursing. The nurse should help patients take care of themselves to make continued home treatment more effective (Chakrabarty, 2021). The theory is based on the original ability of people to take care of themselves. Care is defined as the performance of specific actions to maintain life, health, and general well-being (Chakrabarty, 2021). The ethical role of the nurse is to provide specialized care to the patient, including teaching self-care. The theory’s goal is to provide a better quality of life by helping the patient become more responsible for their health.
Orem’s theory is based on several fundamental positions, the observance of which allows people to take care of themselves. First of all, to stay healthy, people must constantly communicate with each other (Chakrabarty, 2021). Human activity should be used to identify and communicate ways to determine the needs of members of society and provide direct assistance. The team activity of a group of people with a division of duties should be aimed at helping community members.
The practical application of Orem’s theory for organizing self-care to health promotion may be related to hypertension. Patients with hypertension must be especially conscious of their health for effective treatment results. According to Orem’s theory, the help of a nurse in working with such patients is to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The nurse should educate patients with hypertension on the importance of self-adherence to the new dietary recommendations and the need to monitor blood pressure levels. Orem’s theory can also be implemented by explaining to community members at risk of developing hypertension with age the importance of regular visits to the doctor and self-monitoring of health conditions.
Reference
Chakrabarty, J. D. (2021). Theoretical Basis for Advanced Practice Nursing. Elsevier Health Sciences.