Orem's nursing self‐care deficit theory: A theoretical analysis focusing on its philosophical and sociological foundation
Maki Tanaka
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The self-care deficit nursing theory (SCDNT) advocated by Dorothea E. Orem is widely known and used in nursing practice worldwide. However, its broader philosophical and sociological context is often ignored. DESIGN: The theoretical analysis of Orem's SCDNT reported in this article focuses on four aspects of the theory: its essential structure/core values, affirmation of nursing as a practical science, philosophical foundations, and the sociological context surrounding its development. RESULTS: By interpreting the SCDNT from a philosophical and sociological viewpoint, it can be concluded that Orem established human-to-human nursing as a science premised on the existence of human beings as the central value of the theory. Moreover, Orem emphasized that the human-to-human relationship necessarily precedes the nurse-patient interface. CONCLUSION: The new interpretation and evaluation perspectives presented in this report may further the understanding of Orem's SCDNT. Moreover, they highlight the multifaceted aspects of nursing practice and role of person-to-person relationships as the basis of the SCDNT.