The Nursing Need Theory by Virginia Henderson attempts to define the unique focus of nursing practice. The Need theory places key emphasis on the importance of increasing the patient’s independence in care so that progress after hospitalization would not be delayed.  The theory is based on three main assumptions the first one being that nurses care for a patient until a patient can care for him or herself. The second assumption is that nurses are willing to serve and that nurses will devote themselves to the patient day and night. The third assumption of this model is that nurses should be educated at the college level in both sciences and arts.

The Need Theory adresses concepts such as individual, the environment, health, and nursing. The individual concept argues that individuals have basic needs that are components of health. However, it recognizes that individuals require assistance to achieve health and independence, or assistance to achieve a peaceful death. This theory presents the patient as a sum of parts with biophysical needs rather than as a type of client or consumer.The environment in this model analyzes all the external conditions and influences that affect life and development. The environment is made up of settings in which an individual learns unique patterns for living. The theory minimally discusses the impact of the community on the individual and family. Basic nursing care involves providing conditions in which the patient can independently eliminate body wastes, sleep and rest, eat and drink adequatelt, breathe normally, keep the body clean and well groomed, and communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinion.

The theory’s definition of health is based on an individual’s ability to function independently as outlined in the fourteen components. There us need for nurses to stress the promotion of health and prevention and disease curative care. Henderson’s model provides that the challenges affecting good health include age, cultural background, emotional balance, and others. Henderson defines nursing as the ability of a nurse to do to patients what they would do for themselves if they had the strength, the will, and the knowledge. The nurse should be an independent practitioner able to make independent judgments as long as he or she is not diagnosing, prescribing treatment, or making a prognosis. APA