A person who looks after the needs of a patient is called a nurse. He or she ensures the needs of a patient are met during the healing process. Practicing nursing is not simple; hence guided by several theories to enhance the success and safety of the practice. Nursing theories are essential in providing a nurse with options during decision-making processes. Nursing is a broad discipline that demands much more than professional skills; however, the theories of Virginia Henderson and Hildegard Peplau make nursing practices quite comfortable. The theories allow nurses to choose what practice is best for the patient using the theories. The following paragraphs expound on the theories.
Virginia Henderson’s theory emphasizes deep care and immediate care of a patient or family’s physical needs. The theory advocates for fourteen activities, including selecting suitable dressing and undressing, eating and drinking, sleeping and rest, eliminating body waste, and desirable posture. These activities enhance the survival and well-being of the patient. Live patients can do various activities for themselves with the aid of nurses where necessary.
However, patients with brain-dead organs cannot carry out the mentioned activities since the organ that enhanced the logic of the activity is absent. Organ donation practices demand that organs donated by brain-dead patients should be in good and healthy conditions. Therefore, there is a need to provide all essential activities to brain-dead patients (Nicely et al., 2011). Henderson’s activities to live patients need to be delivered to brain-dead patients for organ health conditions during harvesting.
Hildegard Peplau’s theory emphasizes the shared humanity between the patient and the nurse. The theory is more concerned with the person than the problem—Peplau’s theory advocates for six roles that a nurse needs to adopt for patient care. The roles include teaching, leadership, stranger role, resource person, counselor, and surrogate. The theory is concerned about acquiring and keeping the patient’s trust, providing education, counseling, referring, and healing. The theory gives rise to interpersonal relations, which forms and cements the basis of healing over time, where extended periods are inclusive (Peplau’s, 2014). The nurse collaborates with the patient to enhance communication and facilitate the healing process.
The mental healing process is not a one-time quick solution and demands a long term monitoring session and medication. Mental fields require consideration of the patient’s and nurse’s welfare. Peplau’s theory applies best in the medical field since the healing process requires more than just a professional skill. The roles played by the nurse are for the patient’s welfare hence benefits through healing. Peplau’s nursing theory provides long-term care for patients whose health problems take longer to heal (Merritt et al., 2010). Virginia Henderson’s theory is useful in nursing practice; however, it does not apply fully in mental health practices.
Hildegard Peplau’s might be more relevant in future roles since working in psychiatry fields require more interaction and understanding of the patient. Collaboration with a patient and practicing the nursing roles will enhance the healing process hence satisfaction. The healing process takes a period; therefore, using Peplau’s theory for practice provides support to the patient.