Who proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory?

Who proposed the Self-Care Deficit Theory?

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

Answer: (D)

Self-care Deficit Theory centers on what a person can and cannot do for themselves and how nursing helps bridge that gap. The core idea is that individuals have a demand for self-care to maintain health, and when their self-care abilities fall short, a deficit exists that nursing must address. Self-care agency is the person’s capacity to perform self-care; therapeutic self-care demand is the amount of self-care needed; and a nursing system describes how the nurse supports the patient to restore or support self-care. Dorothea Orem proposed this theory, emphasizing empowering patients to care for themselves and viewing nursing as deliberate assistance to meet those deficits. Other theorists approach nursing from different angles—for example, Henderson emphasizes basic human needs, Neuman focuses on system-level stressors and prevention, and King centers on goal attainment through interaction with the environment.

Self-care Deficit Theory centers on what a person can and cannot do for themselves and how nursing helps bridge that gap. The core idea is that individuals have a demand for self-care to maintain health, and when their self-care abilities fall short, a deficit exists that nursing must address. Self-care agency is the person’s capacity to perform self-care; therapeutic self-care demand is the amount of self-care needed; and a nursing system describes how the nurse supports the patient to restore or support self-care. Dorothea Orem proposed this theory, emphasizing empowering patients to care for themselves and viewing nursing as deliberate assistance to meet those deficits. Other theorists approach nursing from different angles—for example, Henderson emphasizes basic human needs, Neuman focuses on system-level stressors and prevention, and King centers on goal attainment through interaction with the environment.