SYSTEM MODEL

IN NURSING
PRACTICE

  BETTY NEUMAN

   
BACKGROUND

Born in 1924, in Lowel, Ohio. 

BS in Nursing in 1957; MS in Mental Health
Public health consultation, from UCLA in
1966; Ph.D. in clinical psychology 
Betty Neuman’s system model provides a
comprehensive flexible holistic and system
based perspective for nursing.
PERSON

Human being is a total person as a client system

and the person is a layered multidimensional being.
EACH LAYER CONSISTS OF FIVE PERSON VARIABLE OR SUBSYSTEMS: 

 Physiological - Refers to the physicochemical structure and function of the body. 

 Psychological - Refers to mental processes and emotions. 
 Socio-cultural - Refers to relationships and social/cultural expectations and activities. 
 Spiritual - Refers to the influence of spiritual beliefs. 
 Developmental - Refers to those processes related to development over the lifespan. 
ENVIRONMENT

"the totality of the internal and external forces

(intrapersonal, interpersonal and extra-personal stressors)
which surround a person and with which they interact at
any given time.“
The internal environment exists within the client
system. 
The external environment exists outside the client
system. 
The created environment is an environment that is
created and developed unconsciously by the client and is
symbolic of system wholeness.
HEALTH
Health is equated with wellness. 
“the condition in which all parts and subparts (variables) are in
harmony with the whole of the client.
The client system moves toward illness and death when more
energy is needed than is available. The client system moved
toward wellness when more energy is available than is needed.
NURSING
Neuman defines nursing as “action which
assist individuals, families and groups to
maintain a maximum level of wellness, and
the primary aim is stability of the patient/client
system, through nursing interventions to
reduce stressors.’’
a unique profession that is concerned with all of the variables
which influence the response a person might have to a stressor. 
person is seen as a whole, and it is the task of nursing to address
the whole person. 
THANK YOU