Caring Partnership within Newman's Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness: Aiming for Patients to Find Meaning in Their Treatment Experiences

This article presents an evaluation of Margaret Newman’s theory of health as expanding consciousness, through a literature review, to determine its usefulness for nursing practice and research. The evaluation illustrates that Newman’s theory is valuable for guiding various aspects of nursing practice, education, and research. However, its use had been limited to spiritual, psychological, and social aspects of nursing care and needs to be further evaluated for its significance in acute care settings. Most of the studies that use Newman’s theory are from the past, with limited studies conducted in recent years, indicating the need for further research.

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From Practice to Caring Praxis Through Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness: A Personal Journey

International Journal for Human Caring ◽

10.20467/1091-5710.6.2.48 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 48-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jane Neill,

Keyword(s):

Chronic Illness ◽

Nursing Practice ◽

Caring Relationships ◽

Personal Journey ◽

Doctoral Research ◽

Life Patterns ◽

Health As Expanding Consciousness ◽

Pattern Transformation ◽

Theory Of Health

The personal journey to caring actions informed by theory (praxis) that the author shares in this paper emerged from frustration with accepted nursing practice and changed her perspective on nursing encounters. She describes aspects of her doctoral research, in which she used Newman’s theory of health as expanding consciousness (HEC) to explore life patterns and underlying patterns of 7 women living with chronic illness. The mutual, caring relationships that she developed with these women show how a focus on pattern, transformation, and wholeness can make a difference in nursing. Aspects of this caring praxis are illuminated.

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A Transforming Process Based on Newman's Caring Partnership at the End of Life

International Journal for Human Caring ◽

10.20467/1091-5710.23.1.40 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 40-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mari Mitsugi

Keyword(s):

End Of Life ◽

Single Case ◽

Single Case Study ◽

Meaningful Relationship ◽

Health As Expanding Consciousness ◽

Caring Relationship ◽

Theory Of Health

This study explored the patterning process between a client facing a chaotic experience at the end of life and a nurse. The framework was Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness. A single case study was selected to allow for exploration of theoretical findings in the context of a caring relationship. The client and the nurse dialogued in a caring partnership. The dialogue transcripts were analyzed. The patterning process revealed four phases in manifesting the characteristics of the trajectory and the client's transformation into more of himself and part of the larger whole in meaningful relationship with the nurse. The findings may help nurses in similar situations.

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