Who proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory in nursing?

Who proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory in nursing?

• A. Virginia Henderson
• B. Betty Neuman
• C. Imogene King
• D. Dorothea Orem

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is understanding when nursing is needed to help someone meet self-care needs. Dorothea Orem introduced the Self-Care Deficit Theory to explain how people perform activities to maintain their health, what enables or limits their ability to do so (self-care agency), and what happens when there is a gap between needed self-care and actual ability (self-care deficit). Nursing action, in her view, is designed to address that deficit through different systems: the nurse may do for the patient, partially do with the patient, or provide support and education so the patient can return to independent self-care. This framework helps nurses assess who needs help, what kind of help is appropriate, and how to empower patients to regain independence. The other theorists you might encounter—Virginia Henderson, Betty Neuman, and Imogene King—develop important but different perspectives, whereas Dorothea Orem specifically proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory.

The main idea here is understanding when nursing is needed to help someone meet self-care needs. Dorothea Orem introduced the Self-Care Deficit Theory to explain how people perform activities to maintain their health, what enables or limits their ability to do so (self-care agency), and what happens when there is a gap between needed self-care and actual ability (self-care deficit). Nursing action, in her view, is designed to address that deficit through different systems: the nurse may do for the patient, partially do with the patient, or provide support and education so the patient can return to independent self-care. This framework helps nurses assess who needs help, what kind of help is appropriate, and how to empower patients to regain independence. The other theorists you might encounter—Virginia Henderson, Betty Neuman, and Imogene King—develop important but different perspectives, whereas Dorothea Orem specifically proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory.