Some of the visions described by traditional authors, writers, philosophers, and theorists are now evident in modern society. Despite most of them not practicing their careers anymore, their voices cannot be silenced because they significantly contributed to their respective disciplines. In the nursing field, Martha Rogers is among the known writers who energized the lives on nurses worldwide. The education discipline has developed significantly through her contributions where she transformed nursing from a prescience subject to science. Martha Rogers's nursing theory focuses on describing the main humanitarian aspects as well as the scientific nature of nursing. The model still retains relevance even in the modern education system because it was founded on human development. She notes that nursing is all about people; how they are born and the way they interact with their environments as a form of survival. The following is a review of the theory, evaluation, and application regarding nursing actions. Human beings and their environments cannot be understood in isolation of each other. Relating the two through nursing is an epic of service to humanity.
Background
Theorist's Background
Martha Rogers was born in Texas America. She acquired a nursing diploma and two master's degrees before becoming a professor at the University of New York in her late years. Having worked as a public health officer in different organizations in her country, Martha observed on the nature of human interaction and the nursing process under which she developed the Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB) theory. Rogers provides a framework for nursing study and research that have been used to advance the field to date. The difference between the theory and other traditional medical models is that the model allows for an alternative where different people can analyze her ideas and come up with other innovative programs (Alligood, 2013). The theory has an open system worldview, hence challenging the previously used nursing frameworks.
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She notes that every human being is made up of tissues and systems which need to be understood to help save lives and reduces one's problems. Rogers insists that individuals are more than the sum of their policies and body parts. As a result, people have intrinsic values which guide them in their daily activities. These elements are hard to understand through mere knowledge of the functionality of the human body. In theory, the mind plays a vital role in the description of human nature. Rogers describes it as the force that leads people to do good both in their lives and that of others. Health workers must reconcile with their inner selves regarding why they do their work and the reasons to continue. It is through this that nurses have amplified efforts to save lives which are more valuable than the physical bodies of the patients. In this way, the nurses have enough reasons to maximize their potential.
Phenomenon of Concern
The model is used for addressing the issue of nursing burnout which is common in almost all hospitals across the world. Staff burnout is regarded as one of the main obstacles that deter efficient production both in the manufacturing and service providing fields. In the nursing field, the culture of safety is made up of a set of values, beliefs, and practices that are related to patient wellbeing. Many nurses compromise the practice due to being overworked or lack of the zeal to serve their patients (Butts & Rich, 2013). The more stressed and tired a nurse becomes, the higher the likelihood of making mistakes. Nurses who experience burnouts lack the enthusiasm to keep focus. The problems also add on anxiety and recklessness in the workplace. It is therefore essential to ensure that nurses work for the required time to help them make the right decisions.
Rogers theory evaluates the problem comprehensively. While many health workers have the motivation to practice their careers, seeing the results of their labor has been the primary challenge. Additionally, most of them have not learned how to value their work more than the sum of their parts. It is for this reason that some of them are engaged in two full-time jobs in two facilities. Some organizations also intentionally employ fewer members which leads to overworking of the available staff. There is no wisdom in having an overworked employee. The theory promotes understanding such that the nurses themselves can help management to see the need to give them enough time to rest. In the model, nurses are classified under the patient's environment which means that the recovery of a patient is dependent on the ability of a nurse to make precise treatment decisions.
Theory Description
The theory uses deductive reasoning to help reach a logical conclusion. In her career life, Rogers observed that work burnout is one of the most challenging problems for nurses. She, therefore, evaluated some of the works written on effective production in the medical field. An example is that the model works well with another concept laid out by Betty Neuman on how different patients respond to various types of environmental stressors. Rogers, therefore, treats the nurses as a central portion of the patient environment where nurses who experience burnouts will create stressful situations for the patients. According to Butts & Rich (2013), though the stress cannot be perceived consciously, nurse action can have a significant impact on one's health. Health workers are responsible for guidance and placement of patients within the hospital, hence lack of focus would contribute to poorly organized environments.
Major Concepts and Principles
Integrality - the principle describes the oneness of human beings and their immediate environments. The two co-evolve together in a mutual process to ensure continuity of life. Rogers explains that when there is unity or wholeness of humans and their environments people eliminate the thought of existing as disconnected fragments. In nursing, integrality emphasizes the idea of embracing other people thoughts and opinions over the isolated self. Additionally, there is the aspect of moving from the old focus of heroic competition to collaborative success. When nurses understand integrality, they have the power to connect within a pandimensional universe. The concept opens up to discovering the mysteries of oneness that may arise from the ability to stay connected with others. To accept and practice integrality, nurses must live and act compassionately.
Resonance - the principle is described as the positive change of patterns in human and environmental fields. Through the theory, it is best to think of waves that that continually fluctuate to manifest both high and low occurrences. Rogers describes life as a process that involves both rising and falling frequencies of pattering. It is through the flow experiences that human beings understand the importance of creating harmonious human-environment patterns (Gueldner et al. 2015). Nurses can recover harmony in their lives by incorporating the flow patterns into their daily activities. The workers should assist the patient in becoming involved in their action systems as a method of saving lives. The process involves achieving a sense of courage and calmness when engaging in various tasks as well as making decisions.
Helicy - the concept promotes diversity in creation and development of human-environment patterns. In her work, Rogers simplifies the definition of the term "helicy" by describing it as the continuous diversification of the field patterns. For the nurses and other employees, it is recommended that people should embrace the possibilities that the world offers irrespective of whether they are predictable or not. An individual or a group of people can profoundly transform the world by portraying compassionate actions towards others. In the medical field, this can be done through spending extra hours with the patient or family experiencing health problems. Research also shows that communication is an essential element in maintaining physician-patient relationships. Nurses should have both visible and invisible contributions to the health of society.
Diagram
The four main nursing concepts that describe the three principles of Rogers theory. Adapted from:
Critical thinking: Toward a nursing science perspective
by Hicks (2014).
The energy fields are an inevitable part of human life, and they are mostly distinguished through the pattern element. Pandimensional represents the main undeviating field that has no boundaries. Through openness, no barrier can control the flow of energy between people and their immediate environments. The four elements of the nursing metaparadigm- nursing, person, health and environment are evident in each of the three principles. All human beings are an essential part of the universe. The nursing actions are therefore directed toward maintaining the energy fields that promote human-environment interaction. The principles work together to describe the aspect of change in human lives. The world individuals are viewed as unitary beings.
Assumptions - Rogers theory assumes that man is a unified whole and possess characteristics that are important than his physical parts. As a result, human beings cannot be described in sections which makes the life process a one-way terminology- from life to birth. Under the theory, humans comprehensively interact with their environments while exchanging energy with one another. Through pattern and organizations, human beings identify their innovative power which builds on their ability to lead better lives every day (Hicks, 2014). Other assumptions are that human beings possess the ability to think, sense and use language as a form of expression and they can adjust to the ever-changing environments.
Metaparadigm - the model is made up of four main elements which include a person, environment, health, and nursing. Human beings are open systems which continuously interact with their environment to initiate change. As a result, a person cannot be described using the various parts that make up the human body. The environments represent the entire energy fields and are not limited by time or space. The element of health is not adequately described by Rogers because it is mainly evident when there is an interaction between people and their environments. An example is that illnesses occur as a result of bad interaction patterns. Lastly, there is the nursing career that is described from the art and science basis. It is through the nursing actions that conducive environments are maintained.
Evaluation
Clarity and Congruence
In her explanation, Rogers notes that she did not create a theory but rather a scientific framework from which other approaches can be developed. Keeping in mind that science is continuously growing, people are bound to acquiring new knowledge and ideas. It is through these innovations that people initiate change in their lives. All concepts in the science field can be altered, revised and changed to ensure a higher level of clarity and accuracy. The main methods of promoting change are through research and testing. The concept applies in all areas including the nursing field where continuous validation through extensive scientific analysis is done. Knowledge development is an ever-changing process where people use more and more sources to build on their understanding regarding certain aspects of interest.
Martha Rogers theory is congruent than other nursing theories. The knowledge gained from the approach shows how the theorist went beyond the frontier of science. By speculating on the universe and the energy patterns that are created through human-environment interactions, she brings about the significance of unity in every life aspect (Hicks, 2014). New ideas of integral presence can be evaluated by advancing the theory. Rogers also pins out the idea that nursing is a component of science and the health of an individual can be empowered by advancing the nursing profession. These ideas help us to view life differently particularly the future of human beings regarding the world of nursing.
Application
Level - Rogers theory can be a source of motivation for nurses facing challenges at the workplace. It allows them to understand the importance of their actions from a different perspective other than the traditional labor aspect (McEwen & Wills, 2017). The model can also be applied to nurses themselves to make them aware that the health of those around them is dependent on their actions. Creating a culture of safety within a health care organization is something that needs to be addressed from time to time. Positive results can only be observed when the problem is addressed scientifically. The reason is that science is a changing field; hence people must learn to adapt to these changes through coordination and cooperation. Advancing the theory might lead to creating an evidence-based practice for the development of a safety culture in the medial field.
Use - The theory is most applicable in the practice field. In her work, Rogers describes the nursing practice as the process by which human beings improve their living conditions through advanced knowledge (McEwen & Wills, 2017). In real life, the policy involves helping the injured or diseased patients to recover their health. When working towards these change, it is crucial to acknowledge the patient's ability to make decisions. Another area of application is in the education and administration portions of the medical field. As a leader, the Rogerian system can be used in developing communication patterns among the employees who work in the different department of the medical field. The model also forms a diverse and creative learning environment. Overall, the theory is applicable in various areas of the medical field including research.
Weaknesses - Among the leading critics of the theory is that the model is very complex and difficult to understand for majority nurses. The reason is that it consists of multiple definitions, concepts, principles, and even assumptions. The ideas communicated are therefore not directly measurable, and their testing is questionable (Gueldner et al. 2015). The nurse's roles are also not expounded. Most theorists argue that in every scientific model, the responsibilities of all the participants should be made clear. Rogers analyzes nursing as a career that involves providing care and administering other people health. However, there are other diverse duties which range from administration to interacting with people from other fields. The model is analyzed in total perspective which makes the ideas extremely abstract.
Future- Apart from defining the central concepts in her work, the theorist also focuses on how a health worker should view a patient. Through the principles introduced, it is clear that a nurse should consider the client as a whole and with more power than the physical body parts portray. The concepts give a wide range of idea that can be used to build on the future of the nursing career. Rogers presents the future as an observer whose visions can be used to promote change in global health. The conceptual system can also be used to build on the future for the betterment of humankind and the universe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the interactions between human beings and their environments are what makes up the universe. People participate through creative evolution and innovative ideas that apply in different fields. The theory emphasizes the importance of global communities as well as the connections they have with their environments. It also brings about a holistic view of the nursing career and also specifies the responsibilities of the health care workers in providing care. There is a clear chain of action that must be accomplished to help maintain healthy cultures in the workplace. Martha Rogers saw the living and non-living elements changing for the better.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2013). Introduction to nursing theory: its history, significance, and analysis. Nursing Theorists and Their Work-E-Book , 34-89.
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2013). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice . Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Gueldner, S. H., Michel, Y., Bramlett, M. H., Liu, C. F., Johnston, L. W., Endo, E., ... & Carlyle, M. S. (2015). The well-being picture scale: A revision of the index of field energy.
Nursing Science Quarterly , 18 (1), 42-50.
Hicks, F. D. (2014). Critical thinking: Toward a nursing science perspective. Nursing Science Quarterly , 14 (1), 14-21.
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2017). Theoretical basis for nursing . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
