Essay on Strengths-Based Nursing Care in Australian Healthcare

This essay examines the strengths-based nursing care approach as a transformative method that complements the problem-based (medical model) approach in the Australian healthcare system. It emphasizes the importance of mobilizing and capitalizing on patient strengths to promote health, especially in addressing the needs of an aging population. The paper highlights the benefits of integrating strengths-based nursing care with the medical model to provide comprehensive, person-centered care that empowers patients, encourages self-management, and reinforces the nurse-patient relationship. The discussion includes the application of this combined approach in overcoming challenges, improving patient outcomes, and modernizing healthcare practices in Australia. The essay references key studies and opinions from healthcare professionals to support its arguments.

1Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

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The contemporary healthcare system is witnessing an evolution that is based on the
vision of upholding health promotion and primary care together with community-based home
care. Though hospitals are the pillar of the sound healthcare system, the primary service is
not sufficient to resolve the issues of emerging health needs. The Strengths-Based Nursing
Care (SBC) is the transformative approach that aims to develop, mobilise and capitalise the
strength of a patient for promoting health (Lowe and Byers 2017). The present paper is a
response to the following statement “The strengths-based nursing care approach can
complement the problem based (medical model) approach to healthcare currently evident in
Australian healthcare system”.
As highlighted by Swartz (2017) strengths-based nursing care can be a phenomenal
approach that would revolutionise the modes of delivery care to healthcare consumers. It is
acknowledged that strengths of healthcare service uphold certain values that have been
derailed in the past few years due to the rise of what is called as a technocratic era. A deficit
model is often found to prevail that does not emphasise on the core issues faced by healthcare
consumers. If services turn the focus on the strengths that individuals have, care would be
empowering, collaborative, health promoting and person-centred. Gottlieb (2014) in this
regard stated that strengths-based nursing care is essential to be applied along with the
medical model as a comprehensive care can be given that addresses the diverse needs of the
patients. The utility is that it acts as a vehicle for driving care in a direction that includes
resources and assets in overcoming patient problems. Challenges can be overcome in an
effective manner and within a shorter time frame.
Gottlieb and Gottlieb (2017) opined that medical model of care would be more
prominent in its effectiveness if it rests upon the strengths-based nursing care model. The
model of strengths-based nursing care entails a blatant perceptive of the person that has the
underlying principle of understanding human uniqueness. Such an advancement would be

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more about uncovering, discovering, realising and understanding the interpersonal,
intrapersonal, biological, and social strengths present so that individual and team needs are
met adequately. The step to be taken is to place the patient and the family at the centre of
care. Empowering the patient would imply that self-management would pave the way for
speedy patient recovery. The individual would be encouraged to take part and be accountable
for his own healthcare and healing. Lastly, it would be about reinstating the key advantages
of the nurse–person relationship that promotes health. In addition, there might be an indirect
enhancement in the specialized nursing practice.
From the above discussion, the inference that can be drawn is that strengths-based
nursing care approach has the potential of facilitating healing of individuals when
implemented in conjunct with the medical model. Australian healthcare system is at present
facing challenges in addressing the increasing the needs of the ageing population and the
amalgamation of the above mentioned two modes would be highly beneficial in this regard.
Modern healthcare in Australia would be rooted in critical based thinking as a result of this
collaboration.

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References
Gottlieb, L.N. and Gottlieb, B., 2017. Strengths-Based Nursing: A Process for Implementing
a Philosophy Into Practice. Journal of Family Nursing, p.1074840717717731.
Gottlieb, L.N., 2014. CE: Strengths-Based Nursing. AJN The American Journal of
Nursing, 114(8), pp.24-32.
Lowe, G. and Byers, L., 2017. Optimizing Strengths Based Nursing Practice.
Swartz, M.K., 2017. A Strength-Based Approach to Care. Journal of Pediatric Health
Care, 31(1), p.1.