Dorothea Orem and Martha Rogers are two prominent nursing theorists with distinct theories on nursing. OremÆs Self-Care Deficit Theory originated in 1971 and included three corollary theories: self-care, self-care deficit, and Nursing System Theory (ôCentral Concepts of the Theoryö). The Self-Care Theory states that self-care is a learned behavior that people ôinitiate and perform on their own behalf to maintain life, health, and well-beingö (ôCentral Concepts of the Theoryö). Orem termed the individualÆs ability to perform self care ôself-care agency,ö which applies to adults who are not too aged, ill, or disabled to care for themselves; those who are too young, too old, ill, or disabled naturally require assistance with their self-care activities (ôCentral Concepts of the Theoryö). Orem identified three kinds of self-care requisites: universal requisites common to all people, such as maintenance of air, water, food, elimination, activity, and rest; developmental requisites associated with conditions ôthat promoted known developmental processes throughout the life cycle;ö and health deviation requisites related to defects and deviations from normal structure and integrity ôthat impair an individualÆs ability to perform self-careö (ôCentral Concepts of the Theoryö).
OremÆs Self-Care Deficit Theory explains that people benefit from nursing because they cannot provide self-care. Her Nursing System Theory argues that when nurses prescribe, design, and provide nursing that complements the individualÆs self-care capabilities, nursing systems are formed. She identifies three types of nursing systems: wholly compensatory systems for those who cannot control or monitor their environment, partially compensatory systems for those who can perform some self-care activities but need help with others, and supportive-educative (developmental) systems designed for those who can perform self-care but need
...