Orem's Self Care Deficit Theory

Legends: R- relationship
< - deficit relationship, current/projected








-Each person has a need for self care in order to maintain optimal health/wellness -Each person possesses ability and responsibility to care for themselves and dependents -The theory is separated into three conceptual theories which include: a. self care/self care system- "human regulatory function" based on the patients capabilities to perform own care. Refers to the action of patients/client directed to self or environmental to regulate factors /conditions in the interest of the individual's life , health and well being. b. self care deficit c. nursing system -The purpose of developing the selfcare framework was two-fold: a. she was trying to find meaning of nursing and to develop a body of nursing knowledge based on research. Self care and Self care System - self care refers to actions of individuals to self or environment to regulate factors or conditions in the interest of the individual's life, health and well being. Dependent-care system -term applied to a coordinated system of action performed over time to meet self-care requirements of a dependent person.
Self care is the ability to perform activities and meet personal needs with the goal of maintaining health ans wellness of the mind, body and spirit. Self care is a learned behaviour of a person, environment, health and nursing.
Three components : Universal self care needs-includes activitied which are esential to health Developmental self care needs Health deviations Eight Elements Identified: air, water, food, elimination, activity/rest, solitude, promotion of normality, prevention harm

Theories of Self Care Deficit (Dependent Care Deficit)
1. Persons who take action to provide their own self-care or care for the dependents have specialized capabilities
for action
2. Th ability of the individual to care for self and dependents are conditioned by age, developmental state, life
experience, sociocultural orientation, health and available resources.
3. The relationship of the individual's ability for self care to the qualitative and quantitative selfcare demand can be
determined when the value of each is known
4. NURSING- is a legitimate service
a. care abilities are less than those required for meeting a known self-care demand
b. self care or dependent-care abilities exceed or are equal to those required meeting the current self care
demand

Theory of Self care (dependent care)
1. Self care a human regulatory function deliberately executed with degree of completeness and effectiveness
2. Self care involves the use of material resources and energy to supply materials for internal functions, maintain essential and safe relationships with the environmental factors and forces.
3. Self care is performe over time

Theory of Nursing System
1. Nurses relate to and interact with persons who occupy the status of nurses' patient.
2. Legitimate patients have existent and projected continuous selfcare requisites.
3. Legitimate patients have existent and projected deficits for meeting their own self care requisites.
4. Nurses determine the value of patient's continuous selfcare requisites.
5. NUrses determine the current and changing values of patient's abilities to meet their selfcare requisites using
specific processes or technologies.
6. NUrsed must be aware of patients potential to engaging in therapeutic purposes, and develop abilities to
engage in care
7. Nurses and patient act together to allocate the roles of each other in regulation of pxt self care capabilities.