JIGJIGA UNIVERSITY

CMHS,SGS
Course; Nursing Ethics & Nursing Models
Presentation Of “ The Helping Art of Clinical Nursing ”

Presented By: SAHRA ABDI

Instructor: ---SHILPA G.(ASS.PROFESSOR-

28 nov,2021
 Outline of the contents
 Introdction
 Objective
 Theory Analysis
 Theory Synthesis
 Theory Derivation
 References

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 Introduction
 Our world is seen through different lenses that shape
how one’s understanding and interpretation of it. These
lenses provides a perspective through which one can
understand situations and events of life.
 The same thing applies with the nursing profession.

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 Objective
At the end of the study, the reader/student will be able to:
 Determine the evolution of Ernestine Wiedenbach’s Theory.
 Identify and analyze the Helping Art of Clinical Nursing Theory.
 Identify the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of
Wiedenbach’s theory.
 Relate Wiedenbach’s theory to the present day nursing practice.

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 Theory Analysis
1. Background of the Theorist
 Education:-
o B.A. from Wellesley College in 1922
o R.N. from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in 1925
o M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1934
o Certificate in nurse-midwifery from the Maternity Center
Association School for Nurse Midwives in New York in
1946..
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 Conti…
 Career:
o Wiedenbach joined the Yale faculty in 1952 as an instructor in
maternity nursing.
o Assistant professor of obstetric nursing in 1954 and an
associate professor in 1956.
o She wrote Family-Centered Maternity Nursing in 1958.

o She was influenced by Ida Orlando in her works on the

framework. 6
Conti…
 She died on March 8, 1998.

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Cont…
2. Approach to the Development of the Model
 Definition of Four Major Concepts

1. Person:-
 possesses self-direction and relative independence, makes
best use of capabilities, fulfils responsibilities, has
resources to maintain self; in other word, is a functioning
being (Wiedenbach as cited by Meleis, 2010)
 whether nurse or patient endowed with a unique potential
to develop self-sustaining resources. People generally
tend toward independence and fulfilment of
responsibilities (Eichelberger and Sitzman, 2011)
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Conti…
2. Nursing –
 A helping art with knowledge and theories. A goal-
directed and deliberate blending of thoughts, feelings,
perceptions and actions to understand the patient and
his condition, situation and needs, to enhance his
capability, improve his care, prevent recurrence of
problem and real with anxiety, disability or distress
(Wiedenbach, 1964)
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Continued…
 Effective identification of a patient’s need for help through
observation of presenting behaviors and symptoms,
exploration of the meaning of those symptoms with the
patient and codetermining the cause(s) of discomfort
3. Health
 Not defined. However, she supports the World Health
Organization’s definition of health as a state of complete
physical, mental and social well being and not merely the
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absence of disease and infirmity (George, 2008)
Contin…..
4. Environment
 Conglomerate of objects, policies, setting, atmosphere, time,
human beings, happenings past, current or anticipated that are
dynamic, unpredictable, exhilarating, baffling and disruptive
(Wiedenbach, 1970)

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Conten…
3. Contents ( elements)
 Wiedenbach asserted that there are four elements to clinical
nursing. Philosophy , Purpose , Practice, Art
1. Philosophy:-
An attitude toward life and reality that evolves from each nurse’s beliefs
and code of conduct, motivates the nurse to act, guides her thinking about
what to do and influences decisions. Philosophy underlines purpose and her
purpose reflects philosophy. - Wiedenbach, 1964
According to Wiedenbach, a nursing philosophy has three essential
components:
1. Reverence for the gift of life.
2. Respect for the dignity, worth, autonomy and individuality of each human
being. 12
3. A resolution to act on personally and professionally held beliefs
 Contin..
2. Purpose
 Overt action, directed by disciplines, thoughts and feelings toward meeting the
patient’s need-for-help, constitutes the practice of clinical nursing… goal-
directed, deliberately carried out and patient-centered - Wiedenbach, 1964.
 The fulfilment of purpose involves essentially three Major units of Nursing
Practice:
1. Identification of the individual’s need for help.
2. Ministration of help needed.
3. Validation that the help given was indeed the help needed.

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Contin…
3. Practice
 Overt action, directed by disciplines, thoughts and feelings
toward meeting the patient’s need-for-help, constitutes the
practice of clinical nursing… goal-directed, deliberately carried
out and patient-centered - Wiedenbach, 1964 .
 Wiedenbach considered that there are three elements necessary
for effective practice, knowledge, judgement and skills.

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Conteni…..
 This knowledge comes through interaction with patients in
the real world environment. Knowledge may be factual,
speculative or practical.
• Factual - accepted knowledge that are known to be true
• Speculative - theories and concepts that are put forward to
explain phenomena particularly relevant to the subject areas
of the natural sciences, the social sciences and the
humanities
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• Practical - knowing how to apply factual or speculative

Conten…..
4. Art
 the application of knowledge and skill to bring about
desired results. Art is individualized action. Nursing art,
then, is carried out by the nurse in a one-to-one
relationship with the patient and constitutes the nurse’s
conscious responses to specifics in the patient’s
immediate situation. -Wiedenbach, 1964
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Contine….
 the art of clinical nursing consists of:
1. The nurse’s understanding of the patient’s condition, situation and
need.
2. The nurse’s internal goals and external actions that are meant to
enhance patient capability through appropriate nursing care.
3. The nurse’s activities directed toward improvement of the patient’s
condition through artful utilization of the medical plan of care
4. The nurse’s interventions aimed at prevention of recurrence of the current
concern or development of a new concern.
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Conten….

Prepositions
The purpose of the theory is to facilitate the efforts of
the individual to overcome the obstacles which
currently interfere with his ability to respond capably
to demands made of him by his condition,
environment, situation and time.
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conti…
Prescriptive Theory

• The prescription is the action that the nurse deems appropriate to fulfil
the main purpose. 19
Cont…
Examination of Content
 Wiedenbach’s theory is clear, consistent and intelligible in
terms of concepts and definition though it may not be
described as simple because of the too many relational
statements. As for the
 empirical applicability, the theory may be difficult to test.
Lastly, for the derivable consequence, it was successful in
providing a description for the professional nursing
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practice.
Theory Synthesis
 Wiedenbach’s theory was also accepted when it came to terms with education
by serving the nursing practice in four major ways
• Its is responsible for the preparation of future Practitioners of nursing
• It arranges for nursing student to gain experience in clinical areas of the hospital
or in the homes of patients.
• Its representatives may function in the clinical area and work closely with the
staff
• It offers educational opportunities to the nurse for special or advance study.
(Tomey & Alligood, 2005)

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Contin……
 An example of the application of Wiedenbach’s theory is
provided in the diagram below. A nurse is caring for a
patient who is experiencing fever. The theory helps the
nurse and the patient to come up with a mutually agreed
intervention.

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Cont….

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 Theory Derivation

Wiedenbach’s Theory can be simplified by a mother who saw her

daughter fall down from a bicycle. The mothers perceives her
daughter’s need to learn how to ride a bike so she will plan and
offer to teach. The daughter on the other hand, knowing that she
has a need will accept the help. The mother will then teach the
child how to ride a bike until the girl can already ride on her own.

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Reference
 Meleis, Afaf Ibrahim.
 Theoretical Nursing: Development & Progress, 3rd ed.
 Walnut St, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005 Raile-Alligood,
Martha, and Anne Marriner Tomey.
 Nursing Theorist and Their Work. St.
 Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier, 2010 Snowden, Austyn, Allan Donnel, and
Tim Duffy.
 Pioneering Theories in Nursing. London, UK: MA Healthcare Limited,
2010 Wright-Eichelberger, Liza, and Kathleen Stzman.
 Understanding the Work of Nurse Theorists: A Creative Beginning, 2nd
ed.
 London: Jones and Barlett Publishers, 201

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 End!!!

Thank You
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