Key Concepts

A. Theory of Self-care- It is a practice of activities that individuals usually perform on their own to maintain life, health and/or wellbeing.

 3 Categories of Self-care:


Universal Self-care Requisites 
(common to all human beings)

1. sufficient intake of air
2. sufficient intake of water
3. sufficient intake of food
4. satisfactory eliminative functions
5. activity balance with rest
6. time spent alone balances with time spent with others
7. prevention of danger to self
8. being normal

Developmental Self-care Requisites 
(either a specialized expressions of universal self-care requisites specific for developmental processes, or a new requisite derived from conditions like pregnancy or loss)

Health Deviation Self-care Requisites 
(additional demands for self-care by an individual with illness, disease or injury)

B. Theory of Self-care Deficit

• Critical constituent of Orem’s theory
• Qualitative or quantitative inadequacy of the self-care agency as related to therapeutic self-care demand
• Self-care deficit exists when therapeutic self-care demand cannot be met entirely by self-care agent

C. Theory of Nursing Systems

• Approaches nurses use to assist patients with self-care deficits due to a condition of health

1. Wholly compensatory – patient does not play an active role in the performance of his care. It is the nurse that acts for the patient.
2. Partly compensatory – nurse and patient perform care measures requiring manipulative tasks or ambulation. 
3. Supportive-Educative System – patient can perform or learn to perform required measures of therapeutic self-care but cannot do it without assistance. The nurse’s role may be consultative only.


Orem’s Nursing Process

 Step 1: determine why a patient needs carel
 Step 2: design a nursing systeml &; plan the delivery of care
 Step 3: management of nursing systems - planning, initiating,l & controlling nursing actions