Virginia Henderson's Theory of Need

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Virginia Henderson’s Theory of Need

Virginia Avenel Henderson was born in 1897 in Kansas City and she died at the age of 99. She had 7 siblings and she grew up in Virginia. She graduated from Army School of Nursing. Virginia held 12 honorary doctoral degrees and discovered her love for teaching. She taught at Teachers College, Columbia University and at Yale’s University School of Nursing. She educated many future nurses about the proper treatment and care to provide to patients.
Virginia was a very well educated women that never stopped learning and educating herself and others. Virginia believed that nurses are responsible for "nurses assisted individuals, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health, its recovery (or to a peaceful death), that they would perform unaided if they had the requisite strength, will or knowledge” (Henderson, 1966). There are 14 components to her theory. They include the following;
• Breathe normally and Eat and drink adequately
• Eliminate body wastes
• Move and maintain desirable postures
• Sleep and rest
• Select suitable clothes-dress and undress
• Maintain body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modify environment
• Keep the body clean and well groomed and protect the integument
• Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others
• Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions
• Worship according to one’s faith
• Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment
• Play or participate in various forms of recreation
• Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities
Here is an example of how the theory works in practice. A patient has a broken an ankle and is waiting for a cast that will go all the way up to the kneecap. With

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