Kristen Swanson’s Theory
Alvarez Lizandra week 14
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Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring came about from her work with maternity patients who had experienced miscarriages and infants in the NICU. Kristen would interview them and learn through their experience. Her research was on women who had experienced a miscarriage. This lead on her theory of caring consisting of five main concepts. Them being, knowing, being with, doing for, enabling, and maintaining. Kristen finds a connection between showing care and healing. I understand her theory and can appreciate it. The knowing part of the theory allows for the practitioner to be more in tune with the situation and as a result provide support to the patient. It also allows the patient to identify their own problem. In practice this can come very handy and I see myself using this. The following talks about being with the person through the hard times. I believe that this is the most important step because the person feels important and the provider can really engage in the health process (Kavanaugh, 2006). Doing for is being able to advocate for the patient if they had the knowledge to do so. This connects with enabling as they come one after the other in order to better care for the patient and allow them to be more independent. The provider is really able to use their skills and empower the patient through the rough times. The last stage and the one that must be maintained throughout to keep the whole process running smooth, its remaining hopeful. This is where some people may oppose the theory (Karen, 2017). That is because some may not be able to see a miscarriage or unfortunate situations as a reason for hope. According to Kristen this is important because it’s staying hopeful that one will be able to get through any difficult situation. I agree with this theory and does not necessarily has to be applied to miscarriages. It can be applied to many other situations.
References:
Karen M. Brown and Leslie M. Bright, Teaching caring and competence: Student transformation during an older adult focused service-learning course, Nurse Education in Practice, 27, (29), (2017).
Kavanaugh, K., Moro, T. T., Savage, T., & Mehendale, R. (2006). Enacting a theory of caring to recruit and retain vulnerable participants for sensitive research. Research in nursing & health, 29(3), 244–252. doi:10.1002/nur.20134
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Rosie Jean Louis: Discussion 8
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Swanson’s middle-range theory of caring consists of five different processes which all have subcategories. The caring process includes maintaining belief, knowing, doing for, being with and enabling. According to Swanson, caring is a “nurturing way of relating to another individual who is valued towards whom one feels a strong sense of responsibility, and commitment” (Michele, 2018). The aim of nursing, according to this theory, is to enable clients to achieve wellbeing. This middle-range theory was synthesized following three phenomenological studies that were conducted in perinatal nursing. However, the theory has a wide range of applications in nursing care today. This theory sheds light on our present understanding of the dynamics of providing care between one individual and others. This theory was based on nursing research. However, it presents a unique way of understanding the components and meaning of caring that goes beyond the usual nurse-patient relationship. Its applicability extends to the sphere of the Family Nurse practitioner (FNP) in a lot of ways, which will be elucidated below.
Maintaining Belief
This is the foundation of a trusting and caring relationship between the client and the FNP. It refers to the process of believing in the capacity of the other person to weather any storm and find personal meaning in their experiences no matter the challenges or the conditions that they face (Michele, 2018). This concept is central to the client-provider relationship which the Family nurse practitioner builds with the client. The FNP can build on this theory in caring for the patient, especially those with chronic medical conditions that need long term care. By continually interacting with the client, the FNP can use optimism to guide the client through the process of finding meaning in whatever condition they are going through and being able to cope with it. This FNP that can apply this concept properly is able to manage the patient well, no matter the severity of the medical condition.
Doing for
This concept means doing for other people what one would want to do for oneself in whatever situation (Michele, 2018). The attributes in this process include performing competently preserving dignity, protecting, anticipating, and comforting. The FNP is able to provide qualitative care to his/her client by applying this principle to the letter. This allows the FNP to continually strive for professional growth so that the care being provided to the client is top notch and without blemish. The FNP is also improving on the practice in order to maintain this standard of care.
Enabling
This is the process of helping others to acquire the tools that they need in order to take care of themselves (Michele, 2018). This includes such attributes as informing, supporting and validating the client. By applying this principle, the FNP can empower the client with enough information needed in order to improve their health. This is essential to the prevention many complications of health conditions. When the FNP applies this principle consistently, the clients are able to achieve healthy lifestyles because they already possess the information needed to do this.
In conclusion, this mid-range theory applies to the practice of the FNP. It will help the FNP build a lasting, trusting and rewarding therapeutic relationship with the patient that would not only help the patient achieve good health, but also help the FNP achieve professional satisfaction by providing qualitative health to the patient.
REFERENCES
Blasdell, N (2017). The Meaning of Caring in Nursing Practice. International Journal of Nursing and Clinical Practices. Volume 4 (2017), Article ID 4: IJNCP-238. https://doi.org/10.15344/2394-4978/2017/238. Retrieved on 26th July 2019 from <https://doi.org/10.15344/2394-4978/2017/238>
Michele, M. (2018). Finding Meaning Through Kristen Swanson’s Caring Behaviors: A Cornerstone of Healing for Nursing Education. Creative Nursing Vol 24 Issue 1, DOI: 10.1891/1078-4535.24.1.6. Retrieved on 26th July 2019 from < https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrcn/24/1/6>
Discussion 8: Manuel M Cabrera
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Swanson’s theory of caring is based on a set of assumptions regarding the behaviors of healthcare providers and the experiences of the patients. Swanson (2015) argues that such behaviors as knowing, doing for, being with, and enabling may be viewed as essential because they help to maintain the belief (p. 530). Such behaviors make it easier for patients to feel valued, understood, and safe. The theory may be criticized because outlined descriptions of the behaviors are rather vague, and the lack of clarity makes it difficult to utilize the theory in practice. Moreover, one may argue that understanding of care varies depending on the culture. Nevertheless, one has to recognize that Swanson’s goal was to outline a general theory that could be applied in different healthcare settings. Moreover, Kalfoss, and Owe (2015) attempted to verify the theory empirically, and researchers note that caring behaviors of nurses are consistent with Swanson’s theory (p. 984). Differently put, the theorist’s definition of caring is valid and may be used to assess the behaviors of nurses. Wei et al. (2018) note that patient complaints are often associated with uncaring behaviors from the side of nurses (p. 388). Therefore, it would be beneficial to apply Swanson’s theory of caring in practice to facilitate caring behaviors in the workplace. In other words, family nurse practitioners should be encouraged to understand the experiences of the patients and their families. It should be feasible to apply the model in practice because it does not require additional tools, but additional resources may be necessary. This approach should help to identify which aspects of care require improvement, and nurses may utilize obtained knowledge to revise their strategies. Furthermore, it should be possible to improve the experiences of the patients while reducing the overall percentage of complaints (Wei et al., 2018, p. 340). Overall, the theory has a set of limitations, but available research indicates that Swanson’s understanding of caring is valid and could help healthcare providers to improve patient satisfaction.
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References
Kalfoss, M., & Owe, J. (2015). Empirical verification of Swanson’s caring processes found in nursing actions: Systematic review. Open Journal of Nursing, 5(11), 976-986. doi:10.4236/ojn.2015.511104
Swanson, K. M. (2015). Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring. In M. C. Smith & M. E. Parker (Eds.), Nursing theories and nursing practice (4th ed.) (521-531). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
Wei, H., Ming, Y., Cheng, H., Bian, H., Ming, J., & Wei, T. L. (2018). A mixed method analysis of patients’ complaints: Underpinnings of theory-guided strategies to improve quality of care. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 5(4), 377-382. doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2018.06.006
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Discussion 8 Gretell Alfonso
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Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring summarizes very well what I believe nursing is due to my experiences and what they have taught me as a health care professional. As a registered nurse I have experienced a lot in the past 3 years in this challenging yet rewarding profession which is what leads me to say that I have witnessed all the 5 basic caring processes from Swanson’s caring theory which are knowing, being with, doing for, enabling, and maintaining belief. All of these components are to be fulfilled in order to execute an excellent nursing service to the community. The theory components are very clear as to what each is determined to fulfill. For example, Knowing is to understand that the event currently happening to the patient is meaningful to them. Often times we get caught up in our tasks as nurses that we forget to understand that just because the patient is someone else and not us going through their case or situation we just go on without giving them our time to listen and comprehend exactly what their wishes are. Also, Being with is to be present emotionally to the patient, which leads me to the point of us as nurses needing to make an effort to connect with our patients because it will for sure make communication smoother and clear. Communication is often times the problem today in basically any problem in the health care profession or in any other relationships we may be in. Doing for is another component of the caring theory by Swanson and it describes part or mostly of our role as nurses. When we are carrying for someone we are doing for them what they cannot do for themselves that they regularly would be able to do, that is the role of the nurse. However, in the past 3 years I’ve witnessed nurses who tell patients “you can do that yourself” when in reality the patient cannot do it for themselves at the moment which basically eliminates the nurses purpose if she/he is not willing to do something for the patient that of course falls in the scope of practice which honestly makes us nurses look really bad as a whole. Doing for also takes me to the next point of the caring components from Swanson’s theory which is enabling. When we assist patients by doing something for them we are in return enabling or making easier their transition through their current situation. Therefore, if we can’t perform the doing for then we certainly cannot enable anything for any of our patients. Last but not least maintaining belief is the last component of which Swanson’s caring theory speaks about believing in your patient and giving them in return the confidence that no matter what happens things are going to take the best turn for the best wishes and interest in their lives. As nurses we know that not every patient survives or goes through a smooth process but we as nurses can make it as smooth and best as possible for our patients no matter if our encounter with them is 5 minutes or 12 hours. If we as nurses do not apply these components to our care then we will assume things from our patients which means closed communication, will not enable anything for our patients making their experience more difficult then it already is and our demeanor and attitude towards our role as nurses which will make our care not the best for patients through their experiences. Applying this not only should be applied to nurses but also to every health care profession in my opinion. As a Family Nurse Practitioner all these components continue to apply in every way. Family nurse practitioners are professionals who can take care of patients from a very young age until death. Therefore, communication and a caring attitude is needed in order to assist the community with the weakest topic for every person which is their health. Providing optimal health care requires a good listener to understand our patients concerns and an open communication which is what is spoken about in Swanson’s caring theory. Swanson’s caring theory will help us move away from assumptions and rather examine and listen to our patients concerns and wishes. In health care we cannot and should not make assumptions. Also, as a family nurse practitioner I believe that I will apply these components in order to make sure my relationship with each patient is more then just a 5 second doctor to patient interaction because I want to make sure that the other person understands that I genuinely care for others and them as well.
As stated in study performed by Vaksalla and. Hashimah in Malyasia “The role of healthcare providers to patients is important as research findings suggest that both hope and hopelessness are contagious and the feedback of one person may influence another” (Vaksalla, A., & Hashimah, I. 2015. p. 327). In other words, nurses role is. very important to our patients due to their experience being very meaningful as we play a role that influences their behaviors and also helps us nurses grow to the best we can be as humans as well. No matter where we are and what we are going through we should always disconnect our life to our profession in order to allow us to concentrate when caring our patients. A study that was conducted byNagel in 2014 tested and looked more into how nurses cared for patients who were being care for through a remote patient monitoring system. The purpose of the study was to see how this technology advancement impacted how nurses got to know their patients which will give a better perspective and ideas to the new professionals coming into this world of health (Nagel, D. A. 2014).
References:
Nagel, D. A. (2014). KNOWING THE PERSON IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT: PROTOCOL FOR A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF
TELEHEALTH IN NURSING PRACTICE. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 7(3), 377-394. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1644634389?accountid=158399
Vaksalla, A., & Hashimah, I. (2015). HOW HOPE, PERSONAL GROWTH INITIATIVE AND MEANING IN LIFE PREDICT WORK ENGAGEMENT
AMONG NURSES IN MALAYSIA PRIVATE HOSPITALS. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 8(2), 321-378. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1677318457?accountid=158399
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Magdaleine Selondieu
magdaleine selondieu: Discussion 8
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Swanson introduced the Caring Approach first in 1991 with five different categories of caring described as ‘Empirical Development of a Middle Range Theory of Caring’ (Swanson, 2012). The processes in caring approach were later reorganized and identified as enabling, maintaining belief, being with, and a sense of knowing. The concept of maintaining belief is the people’s capacity and belief to go through various transitions in life and maintain the focus. Nurses apply this process by giving hope to the patients and help them maintain their beliefs even in death threatening illness. In the knowing process, it allows nurses to learn how a specific disease affects the patients and the people around. Knowing reinforces the ways of maintaining beliefs. Enabling process enhances an opportunity for self-care among people.
‘Being with’ is mainly the emotional presence of people to share the feelings of the patients. Finally, the ‘doing for’ category is helping the people by doing what they are likely to do if they are not ill. The application of these caring processes in-home nursing practices can positively impact the attitude of the caregivers, and this improves the patient’s wellbeing. A practical application of this theory is found in several medical centers, and one of them is the recent case of the ‘Caring Model’, which focused on involving the research into practical terms (Amendolair, 2012).
According to the author of the caring model, the Swanson’s approach provides the connection between caring concept and how nurses use it in their daily practices. In terms of clinical relevance, the theory demonstrates the evidence-based and theoretical constructions in nursing practices. Another application of the caring theory is found in the study of Nursing Scholars of the Medical Center of Virginia (Nelson-Peterson & Leppa, 2007). The Medical Center confirmed that the Swanson’s Caring concept helps the nurses in Virginia Masons to offer excellent care services to the patients. In conclusion, Swanson’s theory is relevant in the clinical context and highly valuable in contemporary nursing practices based on its application in clinical settings.
References
Amendolair, D. (2012). Caring Model: Putting research into practice. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/301891913_Amendolair_D_2012_Care_model_Putting_research_into_practice_International_Journal_of_Human_Caring_164_14-21
Swanson, K. M. (2012). Empirical development of a middle-range theory of caring. Caring in Nursing Classics: An Essential Resource, 211. Retrieved from http://nursing.unc.edu/files/2012/11/ccm3_032548.pdf
Nelson-Peterson, D. L., & Leppa, C. J. (2007). Creating an environment for caring using lean principles of the Virginia Mason Production System. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17563521
July 30, 2019
Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring
Swanson came up with his mid-range theory in 1991 as model to improve the quality of service offered by nurses. Nursing can well be referred to as care giving to patients and members of society who need it. In the theory, Swanson highlights five principles that would be relevant to improve care giving and enhance nurse-patient relationship. The five principles include; knowing, being with, doing for, enabling, and maintaining belief among the patients, (Lillykutty & Samson, 2018). This model was specially designed to advance the quality of care to patients in the delivery wards who developed complications or lost their child.
Some of the benefits associated with Swanson’s theory of caring include; improved quality of service to patients and better learning experience for nurse practitioners. The theory equips nurse practitioners with relevant knowledge and skills that are applicable when dealing with various situations that may arise at work, (Smith & Parker, 2015). The nurse practitioners gain deeper understanding of how to advance care to their patients. The result is that patients ultimately enjoy better service.
Some of the consequences that the theory of care giving may have is that, service delivery may at times be compromised. Creating a very close bond between patients and the nurse practitioners is a risk to the ethical conduct of the nursing practice. Some unhealthy relationships may arise due to too much empathy. This would compromise the quality of service delivery. Despite this risk, Swanson’s theory of care giving is very applicable in clinical practice. Understanding the patient and creating a meaningful relationship would enhance trust, (Hutti, 2019). This would definitely promote service delivery among the familial nurse practitioners.
References
Hutti, M. H. (2019). Perinatal Bereavement Care. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 44(1), 5.
Lillykutty, M. J., & Samson, R. (2018). Insights from Kristen M Swanson’s Theory of Caring. Asian Journal of Nursing Education and Research, 8(1), 173-177.
Smith, M. C., & Parker, M. E. (2015). Nursing theories and
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