Virginia

Henderson
Awards, Honorary Doctorates & Lectureships

• Christianne Reimann Prize

• Yale University, Catholic U. of America, Pace U.,
Emory U., Boston College, Rush U., Old Dominion
U., U. Rochester, U. Western Ontario, Thomas
Jefferson U., etc…
• Royal College of Nursing
• Sorbonne
• Japanese Nursing Assoc.
The first lady of nursing

•Popular for her definition of nursing

•Focus of nursing research "from studying
nurses to studying the differences that
nurses can make in people's lives."
Also known as . . .

•“The Nightingale of Modern Nursing”

•"The 20th century Florence Nightingale."

 Like Nightingale…
Henderson described nursing in relation
to the client and the clients
environment.
Unlike Nightingale…

• Concerned with both healthy and ill individuals

• Teaching and advocacy roles of the nurse

 Definition of Nursing
“The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well,
in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery
(or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the
necessary strength, will, or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to
help him gain independence as rapidly as possible.” [5]
“It is my contention that the nurse
is, and should be legally, an
independent practitioner [as long
as she is not performing the
doctor’s duties.] But the nurse is
the authority on basic nursing care.
Perhaps I should explain that by
basic nursing care I mean helping
the patient with the following
activities…”
 (Henderson, 1960)
• “I believe that the FUNCTION the nurse performs is primarily an
independent one –

• That of acting for the patient when he lacks knowledge , physical

strength, or the will to act for himself as he would ordinarily act
in health, or in carrying out prescribed therapy.
• Importance of increasing the
patient’s independence

• Progress after hospitalization

would not be delayed
(Henderson,1991

• Assisting individuals to gain

independence
She described the nurse's role as :
1. substitutive (doing for the person)

2. supplementary (helping the person)

3. complementary (working with the person)- with

the goal of helping the person become as
independent as possible
FOUR METAPARADIGM
HENDERSON’S PHILOSOPHY IS NURSING
14 BASIC NEEDS OF MAN
1
Nurse’s role

• Substitutive : acting for a person

• Supplementary : assisting a person
• Complementary : working with the person

“…with the goal of helping the person become as independent as

possible.”[8]
METAPARADIGM
PERSON

• Biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual

components.

• PATIENT: as someone who needs nursing care

• Not limited to illness care.

 Environment
-It encompasses all external conditions and
influences that affect life and development.

-There are seven essentials that must be present in

the environment which include light, temperature,
air movement, atmospheric pressure, appropriate
disposal of waste, minimal quantities of injurious
chemicals, and cleanliness of any surfaces coming in
contact with individual.
HEALTH

• It is equated with independence or ability to perform activities

without any aid in the 14 fundamental or basic human needs.
• Nurses need to stress promotion of health, prevention of illness and
its cure.
• Health is basic to human functioning.
Nursing
“The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well,
in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery
(or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the
necessary strength, will, or knowledge, and to do this in such a way as to
help him gain independence as rapidly as possible.” [5]
 Death
• March 19, 1996
• Age 98
• Connecticut Hospices
• Interred in her family's plot of the churchyard of St.
Stephens Church, Forest, Bedford Country, Virginia
How to apply Henderson’s Theory into
Practice?

COMATOSE
STROKE / PARALYZED PATIENT
Eating and drinking
Body temp
Incontinence
Hygiene
Body posture
Avoidance of danger
Mobility
Contact with others
ADL
Body temp.