Faye Glenn Abdellah 21 Nursing Problems Theory 1960 (USA)

Faye Glenn Abdellah 21 Nursing Problems Theory 1960 (USA) 

Faye Abdellah was one of the first nursing theorists. She earned her bachelor’s degree, master’s and doctorate of nursing from Colombia University. She has been awarded many academic honors from civilian and military sources. Abdellah’s patient centered approach to nursing was developed inductively from her clinical practice at the age of 41 years and is considered as human needs theory. It is also relevant to community setting also. She considered the object of nursing as ‘patient’ rather than client or consumer. She developed the concept of nursing diagnosis in nursing care plan.

Abdellah and colleagues (1960) developed a list of 21 nursing problems.

To maintain good hygiene and physical comfort

To promote optimal activity, exercise, rest and sleep

To promote safety through prevention of accidents, injury, or other trauma and through the prevention of the spread of infection

To maintain good body mechanics and prevent and correct deformities

To facilitate the maintenance of supply of oxygen

To facilitate the maintenance of nutrition

To facilitate the maintenance of elimination

To facilitate the maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance

To recognize the physiologic responses of the body to disease conditions

To facilitate the maintenance of regulatory mechanics and functions

To facilitate the maintenance of sensory function

To identify and accept positive and negative expressions, feelings and reactions

To identify and accept the interrelatedness of emotions and organic illness

To facilitate the maintenance of effective verbal and nonverbal communication

To promote the development of interpersonal relationships

To facilitate progress toward achievement of personal spiritual goals

To create and maintain a therapeutic environment

To facilitate awareness of self as an individual with varying physical, emotional and developmental needs

To accept the optimum possible goals in the light of physical and emotional limitations

To use community resources as an aid in resolving problems arising from illness

To understand the role of social problems as influencing factors in the cause of illness

They also identified a list of 10 steps and skills in nursing to be used in developing nursing care plan.

Know the patient

Differentiate the significant data

Make generalizations from the data

Identify the therapeutic plan

Test the generalizations with the patient and make additional generalizations

Validate the patient’s conclusions regarding the problem

Frequent evaluation and follow up

Explore the patient and family reaction to therapeutic plan

Identify the nurse’s reaction to patient and family

Develop a comprehensive nursing care plan based on the needs

This patient centered approach is very useful in nursing practice and education. She categorized nursing problems based on the individual needs and developed a typology of nursing care and skills. It is widely considered as major contributions to nursing into Nightingale’s ideal of becoming a profession.