Importance of Roys Adaptation Theory - Coursework Example

Importance of nursing theory: Roy’s Adaptation theory Introduction The health care setting is persistently developing complex withthe application of nursing theories. In many instances, there has been no distinction between what nursing is and what is not. Nursing theory is a phrase that is used to describe the body of knowledge that supports the nursing practice. Theory is a systematic and creative way of viewing the world and its facets in order to describe or control it. Ideally, nursing theory offers the principles that reinforce practice. Theory refers to a set of conventional rules that can be tested. In essence, nursing theories offer nursing-specific identifications, explanations and correlations of concepts (Basavanthappa, 2007). This gives the nursing profession distinction from the rest of science and medical professions. In nursing, the association between nursing theory and practice is symbiotic. As Basavanthappa (2007) asserts, theory without practice is unimaginative, and practice devoid of theory is visionless. In essence, theory is paramount to effective nursing practice and research. This essay will discuss the significance of theory in nursing practice through the help of Roy’s adaptation theory. This paper will discuss in details the significance and application of the theory of adaptation to nursing by identifying its role in the evaluation of the power of mind and body fitness in aged patients. Importance of Nursing Theory Nursing has made efforts to institute exceptional body of knowledge that has been used to define its boundaries. However, since these limits are continually changing, perhaps it is more significant for the nurses to define their stance and their role (Basavanthappa, 2007). By offering nurses a sense of identity, Roy’s adaptation nursing theory helps patients, managers and other health care practitioners to identify the exceptional contribution of nurses in health care. In reference to Kim and Kollak (2006), Roy’s adaptation theory allows a review of physical activity and the growth of a theory-based intervention from a holistic and integrated nursing viewpoint. A well-defined body of theory such as Roy’s adaptation theory offers guidance for nursing practice in physical therapy and enhanced professional status for nurses. This theory is employed in physical therapy to assist the older patients with low physical activity (Basavanthappa, 2007). This theory has also been applied in chronic-ill patients as a strategy to foster adaptation and the quality of life. This theory has been used in nursing to guide the development of models that focus on the physical adaptation and behavioral responses. Concepts and suggestions of Roy’s Adaptation Theory Roy’s adaptation model presents an individual as an all-inclusive adaptive system in constant contact with the external and internal settings. This theory proposes that the central role of the human system is to sustain integrity in the face of environmental stimuli and that the primary objective of nursing is to promote fruitful adaptation and health of the patient (Roy, 1999). This theory defines adaptation as a process that results from feelings and thinking where individuals use their conscience and make choices in order to integrate well with their environment. Notably, this theory connotes that adaptation results to optimal health and welfare of individuals. The adaptation process outlined by the adaptation theory involves the integrated, compensatory and compromised processes (Roy, 1999). This theory also offers coping processes that include acquired coping and innate mechanisms. This theory is behavioral and attempts to understand a person in the physiological and physical being. According to Roy (1999), adaptation in individuals is evaluated and assessed in psychosocial and physical modes. These modes include the physiologic-physical, self-concept, interdependence and role function. The physiologic-physical mode assesses the bodily function and the degree of activity, the self-concept mode assesses the compound of beliefs such as feelings and spirituality an individual has towards an exercise, the role function mode assesses the anticipations on how the individual functions and associates with others and the interdependence mode assesses the affection received or given through fostering associations (Roy, 1999). Significance of Roy’s Adaptation Theory to Physical Therapy Because of the augmenting number of aging population, Roy’s theory of adaptation has been employed to come up with interventions on physical activity programs to assist the aging population (Kim & Kollak, 2006). Because of the challenges that the older people face in adapting to their old age and physical activity, Roy’s adaptation theory has been used to promote adaptation to aging. Notably, a decrease in physical activity is a concern among the aged since they least get time for leisure or exercise (Basavanthappa, 2007). Roy’s theory of adaptation sees an aged individual a maladaptive because of their incapability to control their psychological and physiological states (Roy, 1999). The theory of adaptation is significant because it offers an intervention on how to deal with this mal-adaptive state. The power of mind and body fitness is an intervention offered by Roy’s adaptation theory. This intervention is significant because it promotes the cognator and regulator subsystems and impacts the contextual and focal stimuli through body, mind and spirit associations of deep breath and mediation carried out at the same time with movements to promote adaptation (Kim & Kollak, 2006). In this intervention, the regulator subsystem of the individual fosters adaptation via the physical movements that promote spiritual linkages, which enhance balance and physical activity (Kim & Kollak, 2006). The cognitive function of the cognator subsystem permits individuals to gain knowledge and foster adaptation through heightened self-efficacy assessed via the self-concept mode (Basavanthappa, 2007). This theory assists individuals in promoting their aging by fostering the personal beliefs of the society on the older adults and the following results of improved physical activity. Kim and Kollak (2006) noted that this theory is significant to nurses who care for the aged and have no time for physical activity. This intervention offered by the theory of adaptation is employed to improve the manner in which the patients feel about themselves (Basavanthappa, 2007). An example of a mind-body-spirit intervention developed from this theory is the Sign-Chi-Do, a Chinese yoga exercise (Kim & Kollak, 2006). This exercise employs body movements among the aged and allows the patients to align their posture, strengthen muscles and maintain body balance. This intervention allows the patients to engage their body by moving, their mind by visualizing and their spirit by feeling (Kim &Kollak, 2006). The theory of adaptation also allows the nurses to promote the personal convictions of the patients by increasing their self-efficacy and the way they feel about themselves (Basavanthappa, 2007). The above mentioned intervention from the adaptation theory allows the elderly to adapt to physical activity through seeing others perform a similar activity, doing the activity and repeating it daily. The significance of this theory has been stimulating in the nursing environments. This theory centers on adaptation and adaptation is the primary objective of nursing in the four modes of adaptation. The interventions offered by this theory contribute to the reinstatement and sustenance of the patient’s adaptation through altering the external and internal inducements. Conclusion The critical aspects of Roy’s theory of adaptation presented are significant in nursing as they guide in the development of interventions and programs that help in the promotion of health in the older people. Additionally, this theory offers nurses numerous ways on how to use hypothetical models to direct the development of physical activity interventions among the old people. This theory significantly affects the way health care is afforded to the aged individuals and offers the aged an opportunity to age gracefully. Notably, the theory of adaptation has assisted in improving the illness viewpoints, foster self-care actions and assist in the acquisition of skills to cope with old age. References Basavanthappa, B. T. (2007). Nursing theories. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers. Kim, H. S., & Kollak, I. (2006).Nursing theories: Conceptual & philosophical foundations. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co. Roy SA, H. A. The Roy Adaptation Model. Stamford: Appleton & Lange; 1999. Read More