Sister Callista Roy

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer explains that the adaptation model of Sister Callista Roy classifies and defines human beings as behaving according to a series of adaptive models. The writer notes that the system does not reduce human beings to a series of medical functions, but it embraces the scientific concept of the organism reacting to internal and external stimuli to acknowledge that psychological and sociological, as well as physical influences impact a state of wellness. The writer maintains that despite Roy's vocation as a nun as well as a nurse, in what one might think of as a contemplative life located in the values of another time, Roy's 20th century model is helpful to people living in the modern era because of its emphasis on how to deal with environmental stressors. The writer concludes that whether it is a picture of reality is perhaps less important in that our society sees change and self-concept as critical, and thus this has created a reality that makes the Roy Adaptation Model an effective conceptual model for nurses.

Outline:
Introduction: Classification of Theory, Brief Description, and Continued Relevance
Biography: Education, Preparation and Professional Experience
Theoretical Sources
Major Concepts and Definitions
Major Assumptions
Utilization: Education, Research, and Practice
Evaluation: Simplicity, Generality, and a "Picture of Reality"?

From the Paper:

"In Roy's Adaptation Model, health is defined as a state of adaptation that is a result of adapting successfully with stressors. It is part of a process of responding positively to environmental changes and to successful coping with stressors and environmental changes. For example, a healthy person might respond positively to the stressor of going for a run by physically feeling a rush of endorphins and by feeling more energized and limber afterwards. Illness, in contrast, is defined as ineffective coping with stressors, like a patient who falls ill because of a socially imposed need to sleep less to meet a deadline. Both health and illness are not defined in black and white terms, rather both exist on a continuum from death toward adaptation Roy defines the environment in terms of the individual's external surroundings and influences that affect a person's development and adaptation towards a state of health or illness."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cunningham, Denise A. (Spring, 2002). "Application of Roy's Adaptation Model when caring for a group of women coping with menopause." Journal of Community Health Nursing. 19.1: 49-60.
• Field, Lucy & Elizabeth Hahn Winslow. (Oct., 1985). "Moving to a nursing model." The American Journal of Nursing. 85.10: 1100-1101.
• George, Julia. B. (2002). Nursing theories: the base for professional nursing practice. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Excerpted at http://www.geocities.com/nursinginquiry2002/vanessa/roy2.html and http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_george_nurstheory_5/0,2535,88691-,00.html

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