Taking care of patients and being compassionate to them is the primary role of a nurse. For years there have been major improvements in the nursing practice creating the best environment for the interaction of patients and nurses. The relationships that are established in the nursing practice are not just personal relationships but also interpersonal and social ones. This means that the nursing process generally involves the nurse to patient interactions, groups like a patient’s family, or even social communities like health organizations (Andrist, et al, 2006).
Personal alignment with the King’s theory of nursing
In my youth, I participated in helping take care of victims of disasters like fire, car accidents, and earthquakes. Taking care of the victims was a very challenging experience but it increased my desire to work as a nurse. The passion to take care of the disadvantaged has contributed greatly to shaping up my nursing practical life and has been my drive to ensure that individuals get the best attention and quality services. As a nurse patient health is my priority.
Significance of the Kings theory
The practice of nursing is an interactive process to assist individuals in their health issues. I have learned to practice nursing using achievable goals to ensure that the patients regain their healthfulness through setting goals, educating them and getting their feedback (Alligood, & Marriner-Tomey, 2006). As a nurse, I am actively involved in setting up goals with the patients and designing the ways of attaining those goals. The process is effective in that it emphasizes the advantages of a patient’s active involvement in making of decisions that affect their care and help improve their health.
Major concepts in the Kings theory
The king’s theory mainly revolves around the concepts of human interactions and the setting up of attainable goals in the nursing practice (Meleis, 2007). Human interactions involve three categories; personal interactions, interpersonal and social systems of interactions. It is well explained by the following concepts; one is a perception which involves the manner in which individuals perceive different situations like their health and the communication that exist between them and the nurses. It also entails the interaction with the internal and external environment, human interactions, and goal orientation for better health care.
Another key concept is communication. Communication assists in the care process and may be from one individual to the other or between social groups (Alligood, & Marriner-Tomey, 2006). In addition, there is a transaction which that is as a result of the interaction between the individuals which that help in the achievement of goals.
Components of the Kings theory
There are various concepts that define the king’s theory and acts as a guide in the practice of nursing. One of them is the human being aspect that defines people as social individuals with rational and sentimental behaviors. This is the area that portrays the patient’s ability to perceive, think and have feelings on the situation (Sieloff & Frey, 2007). This also reveals the patient’s ability to decide, set goals with the nurses, and device the methods of achieving those goals. The theory explains the basic needs of the patients which are the information on their health status, care and disease control. Another major concept is health. Health generally revolves around the human experiences that change due to stress factors in the environment.
The environment is also a major concept which basically means the background around human relations. It comprises of the internal environment, which helps the humans convert the energy to assist in their survival and the external environment. Finally, there is nursing, which entails the activities, reactions and the relationship that exist between a nurse and a patient (Nursing Theories, 2010). It is mainly concerned with the improvement of a patient’s health.
Application of the theory of Goal attainment
Through improving the patient to nurse interactions, we can reduce the duration of stay of the patients at the care centers. This is evident in a research conducted to determine the effects of the interactions between a psychotic patient and who was recently diagnosed with a human immune deficiency infection. The patient was admitted in psychiatrist care center. The concepts indicated in the Kings theory were applied in evaluating the interactions and relationship established between the patient and the psychiatric care providers. The nurses and the patients established goals that helped design the course of action to be taken. This resulted in the patient’s recovery through achievement of the set goals that were aimed at helping the patient recover.
References
Alligood, R. M. & Marriner-Tomey, A. (2006). Nursing theory: utilization & application. Philadelphia: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Andrist, L. C. et al. (2006). A History of nursing ideas. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Meleis, A. I. (2007). Theoretical nursing: development and progress. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Nursing Theories. (2010). Imogene King’s Theory of Goal Attainment. Web.
Sieloff, C. L. & Frey, M. A. (2007). Middle range theory development using King’s conceptual system. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.