BETTY NEUMAN

Hikmat Pramajati
Betty Neuman
• Received RN Diploma from Peoples Hospital
School of Nursing, Akron, Ohio in 1947
• Received BS in nursing from UCLA in 1957
• ReceivedMasters degree in Mental Health,
Public Health Consultation from UCLA in 1966
• Hermodel was first published as a 'Model for
teaching total person approach to patient
problems' in Nursing Research in 1972
Nursing Theory

• Betty Neuman’s theory defines a total-person model for

nursing, incorporating a holistic concept and an open-
systems approach.
• Betty Neuman developed a multifaceted theory including:
Client/person, Health, Environment, Nursing.
Client/Person Aspect of Theory

• Neuman believes that nursing is concerned

with the whole person including these
dimensions:
Physical/Physiological
Psychological
Socio-cultural
Developmental
Spiritual
Health Aspect of Theory

• Health/wellness is "the condition in which all

parts and subparts (variables) are in harmony
with the whole of the client”.
• “Neuman proposes a wellness-illness continuum,
with the person's position on that continuum
being influenced by their interaction with the
variables and the stressors they encounter”.

• http://www.patheyman.com/essays/neuman/index.htm
Environmental Aspect of Theory

• The environment is a force which surrounds a person and

with which they interact at any given time that affects
their wellbeing.

• Neuman also identified a created environment

which is an environment that is created and developed
unconsciously by the client and is symbolic of system
wholeness.
Nursing Aspect of Theory Involves

• “The role of the nurse is seen in terms of degrees of reaction to

stressors, and the use of primary, secondary and tertiary
interventions.
 Primary focuses on strengthening a line of defense through the
identification if actual or potential risk factors associated with
stressors
 Secondary prevention strengthens internal defensives and
resources by establishing priorities and treatment plans for
identified symptoms
 Tertiary focuses on re-adaptation and strengthens resistance to
stressors through client education and prevention of a recurrence of
the stress response”

 Potter and Perry. Fundamentals of Nursing

Neuman envisions a 3-stage nursing process:

• Nursing Diagnosis - based on necessity of a thorough

assessment and with consideration given to five variables
in three stressor areas.
• Nursing Goals - these must be discussed with the patient
and take account of patient's and nurse's perceptions of
variance from wellness
• Nursing Outcomes - considered in relation to the five
variables and achieved through primary, secondary and
tertiary interventions.
Neuman System
• “TheNeuman Systems Model is used
at all levels of nursing education from
diploma through doctorate. The model
is used in many clinical areas in
institutional and community nursing
practice at national and international
sites.”
• Neuman’s model can be used today as a
framework for nursing practice when
applied to:
the client
her health
the environment
The Client
• Consistsof the individual, the family,
friends, as well as the community.
• Thetheory states, nurses should not
only view the individual holistically,
but should also take the family,
friends, and the community into
consideration.
Health
• Neuman views health as a state of
equilibrium between a client’s internal and
external environment.
• “Health, according to Neuman, is equated
with optimum system stability, that is, the
best possible wellness state at any given
time.”
• Nurses apply this theory by individualizing
the optimum state of wellness for each
client.
Environment
• “Neuman’s concept of environment is that of an
internal and external environment with varying
degrees of harmony and balance between the
two.”
• Byrecognizing the two environments, the nurse
educates and implements treatments that are
individualized for each patient not only for her
psychological, spiritual, and physiological nature,
but also for her family and social relationships.
Neuman Model
• Is
compatible with today’s health care
philosophy by seeing the client in a
holistic manner.
• Nursesprovide this care through their
assessment, diagnosis, treatment and
education, and evaluation.
 Does the Betty Neuman Nursing Theory describe what
nursing is, or what it ought to be?

• The Neuman Systems Model describes nursing as it is today. This model

seems to serve as a blueprint for holistic nursing. By using this holistic
point of view, a single approach is used to assess the needs and concerns
of the patient. In doing so the main goal is to keep the clients condition
stable due to environmental stressors.
• This model allows us to properly assess and treat patients holistically
using 5 client variables.
• The 5 client variables are Physiological, Psychological, Developmental,
Sociocultural, and Spiritual.
• Since nurses are the primary caregivers this theory provides a blueprint
and describes nursing for what it is today. This system is very versatile
and is used by all levels of nurses, from associate to doctorate nurses.