Faye Abdellah Nursing Theory Explainer and Example

What can today’s students and nurses learn from the Faye Abdellah nursing theory? Abdellah was a nursing pioneer in more ways than one. She helped develop a holistic model of care that addresses not only physical needs but emotional and social ones as well. Her theory tackles the issues that nurses are tasked with solving and lists potential interventions. Let’s go over who Abdellah was and what her theory states.

Nursing leaders like Virginia Henderson, Jean Watson, Betty Neuman, and Florence Nightingale helped articulate the goals and central tenets of the nursing profession through their theories. These conceptual frameworks guide nursing practice, research, and leadership. Theories are typically categorized into one of three groups:

• Grand nursing theories are large-scale ideas that define the nursing profession as a whole. Examples include Lewin’s Change Theory and Nightingale’s Environmental Theory.

• Middle-range theories focus on topics or specialties in the nursing profession. Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing Theory and Kristen Swanson’s Theory of Caring are middle-range theories.

• Practice theories guide individual nursing practice and inform facility procedures and policies. Hildegard Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Model and Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory are practice-level theories.

Who Was Faye Abdellah?

Dr. Faye Glenn Abdellah was a pioneering nurse, officer, and educator whose contributions helped shape today’s nursing field. She was a trailblazer for women in the military and healthcare, breaking barriers and setting new standards for excellence in nursing.

Faye Abdellah. Source: Circulating Now

Abdellah was born in New York City on March 13, 1919. She pursued her nursing education at the Ann May School of Nursing in Neptune, New Jersey, and later earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in education from Columbia University. At the time, graduate nursing degrees were unheard of, but Abdellah would soon change that.

Abdellah fought to improve nursing education, and she wasn’t afraid of controversy. She believed nursing education needed to be backed by research and science. While teaching at Yale, she became so frustrated with the education guidelines that she burned a stack of curriculum guides in the campus courtyard.

Abdellah’s career and life were dedicated to bringing the profession into a new era. Here are some of her accomplishments:

• First nurse officer in the U.S. military to become a two-star rear admiral
• Published more than 150 papers, including Better Nursing Care Through Nursing Research and Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing Theories
• Developed and tested the first coronary care unit
• First nurse and first woman to serve as Deputy Surgeon General
• Founded the Graduate School of Nursing at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, serving as the school’s first dean
• Awarded nearly 90 academic and professional honors and 11 honorary degrees
• National Women’s Hall of Fame recipient

Abdellah’s illustrious career contributed to the professional evolution of nursing from a disease-centered approach to a patient-centered, holistic one. Of her many theories and frameworks, her 21 Nursing Problems Theory is one of the most well-known.

What Is the Faye Abdellah Nursing Theory?

The Faye Abdellah Theory of Nursing (sometimes called the Faye Abdellah 21 Nursing Problems Theory) is a patient-centered approach that outlines the elements of holistic nursing assessment and care. When published in the mid-20th century, this theory was groundbreaking. It urged nurses to consider the patient as more than the disease they presented with and outlined 21 problems that patients may face, as well as nursing interventions to manage these problems.

Abdellah wrote that these problems may be either overt, meaning obvious to the health team, or covert and difficult for outsiders to see. Covert problems may be emotional, interpersonal, or sociological, yet working to solve them can help solve overt problems as well.

Below are the 21 nursing problems outlined in the Faye Abdellah nursing theory:

1. Maintaining hygiene and physical comfort
2. Promoting activity (exercise, rest, and sleep)
3. Promoting safety by preventing accidents, injury, or infection
4. Maintaining body mechanisms while preventing or correcting deformities
5. Facilitating oxygenation to body cells
6. Facilitating nutritional maintenance for body cells
7. Facilitating the elimination of waste
8. Facilitating a balance of fluid and electrolytes
9. Recognizing physiological responses to disease, including pathological, physiological, and compensatory processes
10. Facilitating maintenance of regulatory mechanisms and functions
11. Facilitating maintenance of sensory functions
12. Identifying and accepting positive and negative expressions, feelings, and reactions
13. Identifying and accepting the interrelatedness of emotions and organic illness
14. Facilitating maintenance of good verbal and nonverbal communication
15. Promoting the development of productive relationships with others
16. Facilitating progress toward achieving spiritual goals
17. Creating and maintaining a therapeutic environment
18. Facilitating awareness of self as an individual with physical, emotional, and developmental needs
19. Accepting the optimum goals with consideration of physical and emotional limitations
20. Using community resources to aid in resolving problems arising from illness
21. Understanding the role of social problems as influencing factors in illness

Abdellah also included nursing skills to meet the problems above. These include problem-solving, planning and organizing work, using nursing procedures, and more. She developed this theory after years of research and applying evidence-based models in care.

Example of Faye Abdellah’s Nursing Theory in Action

What does Abdellah’s nursing theory look like in the real world? Let’s dig into some examples of how a nurse might evaluate a patient and their needs using the 21 nursing problems.

Example 1: John

John, a 68-year-old male, has been admitted to a neuro unit following a stroke. He presents with partial paralysis on his right side, difficulty speaking, and mild cognitive impairment. John lives alone and has a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Applying the Faye Abdellah Nursing Theory to John’s care:

1. Maintaining hygiene and physical comfort: Assist John with daily hygiene activities, ensuring he remains clean and comfortable despite his limited mobility.
2. Promoting activity (exercise, rest, and sleep): Develop a schedule that balances physical therapy exercises with appropriate rest and sleep to aid recovery.
3. Promoting safety by preventing accidents, injury, or infection: Implement fall prevention measures such as a bed alarm and non-slip socks. Monitor for signs of infection, especially in areas prone to pressure sores. Thicken liquids to prevent choking and pneumonia.
4. Maintaining body mechanisms while preventing or correcting deformities: Use supportive devices to maintain proper body alignment and prevent contractures.
5. Facilitating oxygenation to body cells: Monitor oxygen saturation levels and encourage deep breathing exercises to improve lung function.
6. Facilitating nutritional maintenance for body cells: Check John’s blood glucose after every meal providing maintenance insulin as ordered.
7. Facilitating the elimination of waste: Monitor John’s bowel and bladder function, and assist with toileting to prevent constipation and urinary retention.
8. Facilitating a balance of fluid and electrolytes: Track John’s fluid intake and output, and encourage fluids as needed to maintain electrolyte balance.
9. Recognizing physiological responses to disease, including pathological, physiological, and compensatory processes: Monitor vital signs and lab results to identify any changes in John’s condition.
10. Facilitating maintenance of regulatory mechanisms and functions: Support John’s cardiovascular and metabolic functions through medication management and promoting lifestyle modifications.
11. Facilitating maintenance of sensory functions: Encourage John to do tasks that are reasonable for his new limitations, such as reading and listening to music.
12. Identifying and accepting positive and negative expressions, feelings, and reactions: Provide a supportive environment where John can express his emotions and concerns about his condition.
13. Identifying and accepting the interrelatedness of emotions and organic illness: Educate John about the connection between his emotional state and physical health, encouraging positive coping strategies.
14. Facilitating maintenance of good verbal and nonverbal communication: Recommend a speech therapist to improve John’s communication skills and use alternative methods as needed.
15. Promoting the development of productive relationships with others: Encourage visits from family and friends to support John’s social well-being.
16. Facilitating progress towards achieving spiritual goals: Respect John’s spiritual beliefs and provide opportunities for spiritual practices if desired.
17. Creating and maintaining a therapeutic environment: Ensure John’s room is comfortable, quiet, and conducive to healing.
18. Facilitating awareness of self as an individual with physical, emotional, and developmental needs: Help John recognize his strengths and limitations, promoting self-awareness.
19. Accepting the optimum goals with consideration of physical and emotional limitations: Set realistic recovery goals with John, considering his current abilities and potential for improvement.
20. Using community resources to aid in resolving problems arising from illness: Connect John with community resources, such as support groups and home health services, to assist with his transition home.
21. Understanding the role of social problems as influencing factors in illness: Address any social issues, such as isolation or financial concerns, that may impact John’s recovery and well-being.

Apply the Faye Abdellah Nursing Theory in a New Role

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