Practice Nursing Within The Australian

Running head: PRACTICE NURSING WITHIN AUSTRALIAN HEALTH 1
Assessment 1- Nursing Theorists and the History of Nursing

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Introduction
According to Alligood (2013), nursing has been identified to formulate a domain in a pattern
which constitute of a patient, its health, surrounding environment and nursing treatments. The
purpose of this paper is to prepare a report on the chosen nursing theory and elaborate the
history of nursing. The report will be focusing on a specific nursing theory and theorist and
elaborately discussing it by provide numerous explanations and evidences. It will be
comparing the chosen theory with modern practices in the healthcare centres. The paper will
also highlight the development and evolution of enrolled nursing education and practices.
Nursing Theorist: Virginia Henderson
According to Alligood (2017), Virginia Avenel Henderson was born in 30th November 1897
in Kansas City. At a very early age she moved to Virginia and started her education at
Bellevue which was a foundation school owned by her Grandfather. She was provided him
home schooling with her aunts and acquired her Diploma in Nursing from an Army School of
Nursing which was at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C.
As stated by Ahtisham and Jacoline (2015), she started training and teaching nursing since
1923 at a college in Virginia. She also has acquired a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from
University of Columbia. As opined by Smith and Parker (2015), after acquiring her diploma
Henderson was planning to switch her profession, but her willingness to assist people averted
her idea. During her career, she aided to remedy the interpretation of nurses in fragments by
doing comprehensive investigation that facilitated to create the academic and intellectual
foundations of her professions.
Ahtisham and Jacoline (2015), suggest that she dedicated almost 14 years of her career
working as a mentor and associate professor in Teacher College, University of Columbia. In

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1953, she became an associate of research at Yale University School of Nursing as well as a
research assistant emeritus.
Nursing Theory: Need Theory
As opined by Masters (2014), Henderson constantly stressed on the duty and responsibilities
of the nurses rather than the doctors. She believed that as a nurse her efforts provided a
foundation to the discipline of nursing and it constituted of a commonly used arrangement of
recording patient’s observations.
Henderson among her other works is quite famous for her contribution in form of a Need
Theory. According to Smith and Parker (2015), Need theory puts emphasis on the importance
and essentiality of enhancing patient’s independence. The theory mainly focuses on the
elementary human requirements so that improvement after being hospitalized would be
quick. Butts and Rich (2013), suggests in their report that the nursing need theory has can be
stated as a dynamic and unique practice that fastens the progress of the patients by taking into
account their needs.
Smith and Parker (2015), signifies basic assumptions that were taken into consideration
before formulating this particular theory. The main assumption was that the nurses will take
care of the patient until they are fit enough to care themselves. The theorist believed that the
functions carried on by the nurses is independent as the patient has no physical strength,
knowledge or will to take actions for himself. Therefore, the nurses should consult and take
decisions keeping in mind the needs of the patients.

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Relation of Nursing theory with the contemporary nursing care and practice
According to Alligood (2013), nursing theory helps to guide and generate knowledge about
the practise in nursing. It describes and explains nursing method as well as enable nurses to
identify what means they are taking to care of the patient. As discussed, the Need theory put
forward by Henderson emphases on the importance of basic human requirements that needs
to be incorporated by the nurses in their activities.
As stated by Ahtisham and Jacoline (2015), as individuals have needs that includes health
and require assistance, therefore nurses can attain wholeness by upholding emotional and
physiological balance. Henderson defined that a patient is someone who needs nursing care
Thus, her theory presents the patient as a quantity of portions with biopsychosocial desires
including the mind as well as the body as those are inseparable and unified. By making the
patient feel happy and content, nurses can improve their medical conditions in this stressful
modern environment.
According to Younas and Sommer (2015), nursing as defined by Henderson is a unique
function as it helps the sick, unhealthy individual in such a manner that helps him to acquire
independence as quickly as possible. Even though it is not explicitly stated by Henderson in
her theory, but health is taken as a mean balance in every realm of human life. The theory is
applicable and is equated with the freedom or capability to accomplish actions without any
assistance. According to Dijkstra, et. al. (2012), having a good health can be a challenge in
this fast pacing, technology driven world as it is influence by several factors such as
emotional balance, age, cultural background and others. Therefore, the nurses can be
constituted as a primary person and the need theory assists in promoting health, preventing
illness as well as being able to cure.

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Evolution of Enrolled Nursing Education
According to Ruth Jacob, Barnett, Sellick and McKenna (2013), Enrolled nurses (ENs) are
those types of nurses that possesses a Diploma in Enrolled Nursing from a government
trained centre. These nurses work under the administration of the registered nurses and
provides the patient with all the basic nursing care. The Enrolled Nurses are accountable for
providing evidence constructed nursing care for the patients. It is done in accordance with the
care plan that has been developed in association with the patient, their medical consultant and
few other primary members in the health care team.
As opined by Halcomb, et. al. (2014), over the past decade, the enrolled nursing profession
has faced few challenges and were taught to be a lateral thinker and a professional. As ENs
are just learners and are in the process of acquiring knowledge by the experienced nurses,
therefore there are few practices that cannot be performed by them in Australian healthcare
centres. Hoskins (2011), argues by saying that even though there are many barriers for the
EN in the nation, they can perform various duties with efficacy and dedication. These duties
include putting in IVs, setting up a theatre for critical patients and suture.
Over the last decade, continuing and considerable amount of work done have taken place by
the ENs to define and determine the scope they have in the nursing practice in Australia.
There have been seen many issues and challenges faced by the Enrolled nurses such as: lack
in variation in the practices and scope of these nurse amongst Australian territories, states,
regional, remote and metropolitan setting; less diversity in guideline of legislative and
regulatory; and increased amount of pressure in the workplace for expanding their scope and
practices. The ENs regularly are being asked to practice beyond their educational guidelines

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and competencies. These issues have grown in the last years and have been highly reported
(Infusion, 2011).
Development of Enrolled Nursing (EN) Standards for Practice
According to Cashin, et. al. (2015), the EN standards for nursing practice are envisioned for
being easily available to a variety of groups. There are numerous standards that needs to be
practiced by the ENs and the standards chosen that will be related to my nursing practice are:
First is functioning according to the polices, laws and process that are affecting the EN
practices; and secondly practicing nursing in a way that ensures all the rights, dignity, respect
and confidentiality of the people.
According to Nursing and Council (2014), these standards were initially developed by
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and they undertake
functions that are set up by the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. As opined by
Halcomb, et. al. (2016), the Enrolled Nursing Standards had replaced the National
Competency Standards for the enrolled nurse. The EN standards were released in 2015 and
came into effect around January 2016.
As stated by Jacob, Sellick and McKenna (2012)., the key characteristics for these standards
are that it provides a clear view about the delegation, role and supervision. The standard
comprises that the EN are required to work under the direct and indirect supervision of the
appointed registered nurse and take accountability and responsibility for their actions.
The two standards that had been chosen could be helpful and are quite relatable. Both the
standards function in accordance with the law and policies and will assist me to establish
knowledge and understanding of state and commonwealth. I will aid me to provide nursing
care according to the professional standards and guidelines.

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Conclusion
The nursing practice and nurses are essential part of one’s life as it helps individual to come
in proper health. The theories help the nurses to understand and guides them into correct path.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the report helps to understand the practise and standards
developed in Australia for the nurses and it provides us information about the history and
evolution of the nursing theories.
References
Ahtisham, Y., & Jacoline, S. (2015). Integrating Nursing Theory and Process into Practice;
Virginia's Henderson Need Theory. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2).
Alligood, M. R. (2013). Introduction to nursing theory: its history, significance, and
analysis. Nursing theorists and their work-e-Book, 1.
Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing theorists and their work-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2013). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice.
Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Cashin, A., Buckley, T., Donoghue, J., Heartfield, M., Bryce, J., Cox, D., ... & Dunn, S. V.
(2015). Development of the nurse practitioner standards for practice Australia. Policy,
Politics, & Nursing Practice, 16(1-2), 27-37.
Dijkstra, A., Yönt, G. H., Korhan, E. A., Muszalik, M., Kędziora‐Kornatowska, K., &
Suzuki, M. (2012). The Care Dependency Scale for measuring basic human needs: an
international comparison. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(10), 2341-2348.

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Halcomb, E. J., Salamonson, Y., Davidson, P. M., Kaur, R., & Young, S. A. (2014). The
evolution of nursing in Australian general practice: a comparative analysis of
workforce surveys ten years on. BMC Family Practice, 15(1), 52.
Halcomb, E., Stephens, M., Bryce, J., Foley, E., & Ashley, C. (2016). Nursing competency
standards in primary health care: an integrative review. Journal of clinical
nursing, 25(9-10), 1193-1205.
Hoskins, B. (2011). Demand, growth, and evolution. The Journal of Continuing Higher
Education, 59(1), 57-60.
Infusion, (2011). The Evolution of Enrolled Nurses. Retrieved from :
https://anmftas.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/110873-INFUSION-August-
2011_web.pdf
Jacob, E., Sellick, K., & McKenna, L. (2012). Australian registered and enrolled nurses: Is
there a difference?. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 18(3), 303-307.
Masters, K. (2014). Nursing theories: A framework for professional practice. Jones &
Bartlett Publishers.
Nursing, A., & Council, M. A. (2014). Midwife accreditation standards 2014. Canberra:
ANMAC, 35.
Ruth Jacob, E., Barnett, A., Sellick, K., & McKenna, L. (2013). Scope of practice for
Australian enrolled nurses: Evolution and practice issues. Contemporary Nurse, 45(2),
155-163.
Smith, M. C., & Parker, M. E. (2015). Nursing theories and nursing practice. FA Davis.

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Younas, A., & Sommer, J. (2015). Integrating nursing theory and process into practice;
Virginia’s Henderson need theory. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2),
443-450.