Practice Nursing Within The Australian

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

PRACTICE NURSING WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH
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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.