DOROTHEA OREM:
SELF-CARE DEFICIT THEORY
Dorothea Orem: Self-Care Deficit Theory
Self-Care Deficit Theory
- not being able to provide self care;
should ask for assistance or
professional nurse
Orem’s general theory of nursing in three
related parts:
1. Theory of self-care
2. Theory of self-care deficit
3. Theory of nursing systems
Theory of Self-care
-Self care – practice of activities that
individual initiates and perform on
their own behalf in maintaining life,
health, and well being
-Self care agency – "the ability for
engaging in self care”
- Conditioned by age
developmental state, life
experience sociocultural
orientation health and
available resources
-Therapeutic self care demand –
"totality of self care actions to be
performed for some duration in order
to meet self care requisites by using
valid methods and related sets of
operations and actions"
Universal self-care requisites
- Associated with life processes and
the maintenance of the integrity of
human structure and functioning
Common to all , ADL
Identifies these requisites as:
- Maintenance of sufficient
intake of air, water, food
- Provision of care associated
with elimination process
- Balance between activity and
rest, between solitude and
social interaction
- Prevention of hazards to
human life well being and
- Promotion of human
functioning
Developmental self care requisites
- Associated with developmental
processes/ derived from a
condition…. Or associated with an
event
- ex. adjusting to a new job
- ex. adjusting to body changes
Health deviation self care
- Required in conditions of illness,
injury, or disease
these include:
- Seeking and securing
appropriate medical
assistance
- Being aware of and attending
to the effects and results of
pathologic conditions
