Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
Martha Rogers Theory
Part 1
Background History of the Theorist
Martha Rogers was born in the United States on 12th May 1914 and was the eldest child in a family of four. At an early age, Martha showed interest in learning due to her love for reading materials. Even as a child, she read widely across areas of ethnography, ethics, archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, aesthetics, and psychology. Her education journey was central to her future life, she wanted to pursue a career in medicine (Malinski, 2018). However, she only managed to pursue medicine for some years before quitting and joining nursing. The reason for quitting medicine against her parents’ wishes was because, in her era, women were not the most desirable in medicine. She joined Knoxville General Hospital with 25 other students to pursue a nursing program (Taghinezhad, 2022). While in nursing school, she almost quit due to army-like training, but she was encouraged when working with patients and people. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
According to, Malinski (2018) in 1936, she was awarded her diploma in Nursing and later, in 1937, went to George Peabody College and pursued a Public Health Nursing degree. She even went ahead to sell her car in an effort to acquire fees to complete the master’s degree program in 1945 from Teacher’s College at Colombia University and later in 1954 at John Hopkins University where she attained a Doctorate in Nursing. Martha worked as a Public health nurse in the Children’s Fund in Michigan around 1940 and took the position of Assistant supervisor. Afterwards she served as an Assistant Education Director and finally became the acting Director at Hartford, CT, in the Visiting Nurse Association. Later she advanced to become the head of the nursing division and a professor at New York University. Martha Died on 13th March 1994.
Central theme/concept of Martha Rogers’s theory
Martha strongly believed in the theory known as ‘The Science of Unitary Human Beings’ the theory portrays nursing as a practice of both the art and science because it gives a sense of how unitary humans integrate with the universe. Martha stated that the unitary human being, together with the surrounding environment, is one thing that cannot be separated. She believed that since nurses’ focus on people, there is also a manifestation of the patient’s immediate environment that has a massive role in their wellbeing. The theory is broken down into two dimensions; one focuses on nursing as a science where nurses use scientific and learned skills to help patients (Miciak, 2018). On the other hand, there nursing is an art where the science of nursing is applied in a creative manner to assist patients in recovering from their illnesses.
Martha’s theory evaluates the essence of patients’ environment as a crucial part of their recovery and applies nursing education and knowledge to ensure nurses combine the science and art of nursing to improve the lives of patients.
Meta-paradigm concepts
In this theory, Martha came up with four major meta-paradigm and concepts about the nursing theory, including person, health, environment and nursing. She reiterated that, person in nursing is described as an all-around energy field seen through the pattern, indivisible and one that is able to manifest traits that are specific to the whole. In addition, a person was defined as a unified being with distinct traits that can only be understood through looking, summarizing and describing the parts (Phillips, 2019).
The health concept is expressed as a life process. The behaviour or traits that come from the simultaneous and mutual interaction with health, illness, environmental fields and humans are a crucial part of the nursing continuum (Phillips, 2019). These many events taking place depict the manner in which life process occurs and how maximum health potential is acquired.
The nursing concept is described as the study of the indivisible, irreducible and unitary environmental field and humans. According to Martha, nursing practices exist so people can be served, which entirely depends on nursing knowledge acquired and nature (Malinski, 2018).
Environment concept is an indivisible, irreducible and pan-dimensional energy field that is integral to human beings and expressed through a pattern (Phillips, 2019). The environmental aspect varies in density, extent and intensity. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
Use of Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care
The theory enhances the aspect of wellness and illness care because it gives nurses a better understanding of the patient. For instance, nursing actions such as humour, music, imagery and therapeutic touch, among others, are crucial aspects nurses use to enhance wellness among patients. They are more equipped to help patients manage pain in rehabilitation and offer supportive therapy (Taghinezhad, 2022). Martha believes that when nurses are knowledgeable, they can swiftly understand and learn the patients’ environment, which helps build better illness care.
Strengths of Martha Roger’s Theory
The theory gives nurses a better opportunity and avenue to develop a worldview about patient care and wellness. The theories, proposals and theories applied help build relationships in several situations (Malinski, 2018). Also, the theory is testable in terms of principle and only fails the test due to an inadequate hypothesis.
Weaknesses of Martha’s Theory
The theory has some weaknesses, including its failure to describe some theories and hypotheses, as it is only a unified, abstract framework. It is also questionable to test the concepts’ validity since it is not possible to measure them directly. Also, the theory was said to be over-ambitious due to the abstract nature of the concepts (Miciak, 2018). Additionally, the approach has failed to clearly define the role of nurses’ although the theory states that the purpose of nurses is to promote wellbeing and health. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
How a graduate-level nurse can use the Martha Rogers theory
A graduate-level nurse can use the Martha Rogers Theory to ensure they improve patient care quality. Graduate level can use the theory in enhancing clinical practice, education and undertaking research. This can be achieved through being well-skilled and understanding the patient’s immediate environment. The theory of science of unitary human beings enables nurses to view patients as a whole (Taghinezhad, 2022). This enables graduate-level nurses to understand that apart from the science of nursing, there is a need to incorporate the patients’ environment to enhance the recovery and well-being of patients.
Nursing research article
Aranha, P.R. (2018). Application of Rogers’ system model in nursing care of a client with cerebrovascular accident. Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 4(1), 50-56.
The article aims to explore the use of Martha Rogers’s system model in nursing care for a patient suffering from a cerebrovascular accident.
The study involves a practice nursing experience and the application of Martha Rogers’s theory of science of unitary human beings in treating patients with cerebrovascular accidents. The article creatively uses Roger’s meta-paradigm concepts to establish the interaction levels between a nurse and the patient environment. The study traces the case of a patient suffering from cerebrovascular accident how it is managed using the Rogers systems theory and the changes observed. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
The study and findings include the assessment of Mrs Geetha, the patient in this study. The mutual working relationship between the nurses and Mrs Geetha through sharing knowledge, empowering family, offering patient choices, repeated appraisal, and leisure activities helped manage the patient comprehensively for her wellness (Aranha, 2018). Thus, the findings and the study closely depend on Martha Rogers’s theory in ensuring patient’s and family needs are addressed, which helps in enhancing hope, self-reflection and reducing pain to family and patient, enhancing recovery.
References
Aranha, P.R. (2018). Application of Rogers’ system model in nursing care of a client with cerebrovascular accident. Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 4(1), 50-56.
Malinski. V. (2018). The Importance of a Nursing Theoretical Framework for Nursing Practice: Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings and Barrett’s Theory of Knowing Participation in Change as Exemplars. Revista Cultura Del Cuidado. Vol. 15.
Miciak M, Mayan M, Brown C, Joyce AS, Gross D. (2018). The necessary conditions of engagement for the therapeutic relationship in physiotherapy: an interpretive description study. Arch Physiother. 2018 Feb 17; 8:3. doi: 10.1186/s40945-018-0044-1. PMID: 29468089; PMCID: PMC5816533.
Phillips JR. (2019). Unitariology and the Changing Frontiers of the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Nurs Sci Q. 2019 Jul; 32(3):207-213. doi: 10.1177/0894318419845404. PMID: 31203779. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
Taghinezhad F, Mohammadi E, Khademi M, Kazemnejad A. (2022). Humanistic Care in Nursing: Concept Analysis Using Rodgers’ Evolutionary Approach. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2022 Mar 14; 27(2):83-91. doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_156_21. PMID: 35419263; PMCID: PMC8997180
NURS 6104
Theory for Graduate Nursing Practice
Theory Critique Assignment & Rubric
Part 1: Write a 4-5 pages paper on an assigned theorist that includes a title and reference page. Include the following:
• Identify the background history of the theorist
• Describe the central theme/concept of the nursing theorist you have chosen.
• Describe how the theorist describes or defines the traditional four metaparadigm concepts of person, environment, health and nursing
• Describe how this theory could be used in wellness and illness care
• What are strengths of the nursing theory?
• What are weaknesses of the nursing theory?
• Describe how the nursing theory can be used as a graduate level nurse.
• Discuss one nursing research article published in the past five years that used this theory as a basis for the study. Definition of nursing research article: a research study that was done by nurses and/or published in a peer-reviewed nursing journal. When discussing the study:
o State the research question or hypothesis
o Describe what was studied
o Discuss how the study and its findings relate to the theory
• PowerPoint Assignment:
o Develop a PowerPoint on the assigned nursing theorist and his/her theory that will include the above parts of your paper. The presentation should be no more than 12 slides. It should include speaker notes or can have voice-over to expand on the bulleted slide contents. Citations should be included in the speaker notes. All references should be on one slide at the end. A title slide including your names and the title of the presentation should begin the presentation.
Part 2: Post the paper in the drop box under Assignments by the due date.
Part 3: Post the PowerPoint in the appropriate discussion forum for classmates to see and make comments. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper
• Comment on one other student’s PowerPoint. Use scholarly references for your responses.
• Examples of views you may want to add to the discussion:
o How you could or have used the theory (even if it was inadvertently) in your own practice.
o How the theories may be alike or different.
o What you may have found interesting or confusing.
o Your secondary post should be at least 200 words and not more than 400 words- you do not have to include all of these examples in your post, only one but it should have enough substance.
Helpful Hints for Assignment:
• Use headings for each section of the paper. (For example for each grading criteria use a heading. HINT: Heading makes it easier for faculty to see you have followed the grading criteria).
• Review rubric (See rubric under Content)
• Submit paper to the dropbox. Martha Rogers Theory in wellness and illness care Discussion Paper