Identify your specialty area of NP practice. My specialty is Mental Health/Psych. Select a nursing theory, borrowed theory, or interdisciplinary theory provided in the lesson plan or one of your own findings. Address the following:
Origin
Meaning and scope
Logical adequacy
Usefulness and simplicity
Generalizability
Testability
Finally, provide an example how the theory could be used to improve or evaluate the quality of practice in your specific setting. What rationale can you provide that validates the theory as applicable to the role of the nurse practitioner.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Nursing Theory in Mental Health: The Self-Care Deficit Theory by Dorothea Orem
Origin
Dorothea Orem, a nursing theorist, introduced the Self-Care Deficit Theory in the 1970s. Orem’s work emerged from her desire to provide a conceptual framework that would enable nurses to identify patients’ self-care deficits and promote their ability to perform self-care. Her theory has been foundational in nursing education and practice, particularly in areas requiring patient empowerment, such as mental health.
Meaning and Scope
The Self-Care Deficit Theory posits that individuals have the ability and responsibility to care for themselves. It comprises three interrelated theories:
1. Self-Care: The practice of activities that individuals initiate and perform on their own behalf to maintain life, health, and well-being.
2. Self-Care Deficit: Occurs when an individual cannot perform self-care activities, necessitating nursing intervention.
3. Nursing Systems: The relationship between nurses and patients, which can be wholly compensatory, partially compensatory, or supportive-educative, depending on the patient’s needs.
Logical Adequacy
The theory is logically consistent; it clearly outlines the components related to self-care and the responsibilities of both patients and nurses. Orem’s approach is cohesive, making it easy to understand how a lack of self-care leads to health issues and how nursing can assist in overcoming these deficiencies.
Usefulness and Simplicity
Orem’s theory is useful in guiding nursing practice, particularly in mental health, where promoting autonomy and self-management is crucial. Its simplicity allows practitioners to apply it readily in various contexts. By focusing on self-care, nurses can tailor their interventions to empower patients, thereby enhancing their overall well-being.
Generalizability
The Self-Care Deficit Theory is highly generalizable across various populations and settings. It can be applied not only in mental health but also in chronic illness management, pediatrics, geriatrics, and rehabilitation settings. Its principles can guide nursing interventions regardless of the specific health issue being addressed.
Testability
The theory is testable through research and clinical practice. Numerous studies have validated the concepts of self-care and self-care deficits in various patient populations. This makes it feasible for practitioners to evaluate its effectiveness through measurable outcomes, such as improved patient autonomy and reduced hospital readmissions.
Application in Mental Health Practice
In a mental health setting, the Self-Care Deficit Theory can be used to enhance patient care by focusing on empowering individuals with mental health conditions to take charge of their treatment plans. For example:
1. Assessment: A nurse practitioner can assess a patient’s self-care abilities regarding their mental health management, such as medication adherence, coping strategies, and lifestyle choices.
2. Intervention: If a patient is found to have self-care deficits (e.g., difficulty managing medication), the nurse practitioner can implement a supportive-educative nursing system. This may involve providing education about medications, developing a structured routine for taking them, or teaching coping skills for managing symptoms.
3. Evaluation: The effectiveness of the intervention can then be evaluated through follow-up visits, monitoring adherence rates, and assessing improvements in mental health status.
Rationale for Applicability
The Self-Care Deficit Theory is particularly applicable to the role of the nurse practitioner in mental health due to its emphasis on patient empowerment and autonomy—key elements for effective mental health care. As nurse practitioners are often at the forefront of managing chronic conditions, applying this theory fosters collaborative relationships with patients, encouraging them to engage actively in their care. This approach not only improves patient outcomes but also aligns with contemporary healthcare trends that prioritize patient-centered care.
Conclusion
Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory provides a robust framework for enhancing nursing practice within mental health settings. By focusing on self-care, nurse practitioners can better support their patients in achieving autonomy and improved mental well-being. The theory’s logical structure, simplicity, generalizability, and testability make it a valuable tool for evaluating and improving quality of practice in mental health care.
