ROGERS THEORY

INTRODUCTION TO THEORIST

Martha Elizabeth Roger ( May 12, March 13, 1994) was an influential and visionary
nurse theorist, an innovative thinker and an articulate spokes person for professional nursing
education. Her conceptual system has had a profound impact on practice, theory
development, and research profession. Martha Rogers has born in Dallas, Texas, on May 12,
1914. She attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, from 1931 to 1933. She received
her nursing diploma in 1936. Rogers continued her education at George Peabody College in
Nashville, Tennessee, receiving a bachelor of science degree in public health. After this, she
worked as a public health nurse in rural Michigan for 2 years. Then she pursued her first
masters degree, an MA in public health supervision from Teachers College, New York in
1945. Rogers also worked as a staff nurse, supervisor and education director for a visiting
nurse agency in Hartford, Connecticut. Then she moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where she
established and become the executive director of the first visiting nursing service in phoenix.
She later earned a masters degree in public health in 1952 and a doctor of science degree in
1954, both from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Rogers theory is known as
the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Its primary tenets include the following that is nursing
is both a science and art, the uniqueness of nursing , like that of any other science, lies in the
phenomena central to its focus. Nurses long established concern with the people and the
world they live, and encompasses people and the environment. The integrands of people and
the environment that co ordinates with the multidimensional universe of open systems point
to a new paradigm: the identity of nursing as a science.

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ROGERS THEORY OF UNITARY HUMAN BEINGS
Rogers theory is known as the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Its primary tenets include
the following that is nursing is both a science and art, the uniqueness of nursing , like that of
any other science, lies in the phenomena central to its focus. Nurses long established concern
with the people and the world they live, and encompasses people and the environment. The
integrands of people and the environment that co ordinates with the multidimensional
universe of open systems point to a new paradigm: the identity of nursing as a science.

ASSUMPTIONS OF THE THEORY

WHOLENESS Human being is considered a united whole,

which is more than and different from the
some of its parts.
OPENNESS A person and his environment are
continuously exchanging matter and energy
with each other
UNDIRECTIONALITY The life process exist along an irreversible
and unidirectional space time continuum
PATTERN AND ORGANIZATION Used to identify individuals and reflects
their innovative wholeness
SENTIENCE AND THOUGHT Humans are the only organisms able to
think abstractly, have language, sensation
and emotion.

OVER VIEW OF ROGERIAN MODEL

 Rogers conceptual system provides a body of knowledge in nursing.

 Rogers model provides the way of viewing the unitary human being
 Humans are viewed as integral with the universe
 The unitary human being and the environment are one, not dichotomous.
 Nursing focuses on people and the manifestations that emerge from the mutual human
or environmental field process.
 Change of pattern and the organization of the human field and the environmental field
is propagated by waves.
 The manifestation of the field patterning that emerge are observable events

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  The identification of the pattern provides knowledge and understanding of human
experience
 Basic characteristics which describe the life process of human: energy field, openness,
pattern and pan dimensionality
 Basic concepts include unitary human being, environment and homeodynamic
principles.

CONCEPTS / BUILDING BLOCKS OF ROGERS’ MODEL

ENERGY
FIELD

MAJOR
PAN
CONCEPTS OPENNESS
DIMENSIONALI
TY

PATTERN

 Energy field
 Universe of open system
 Pattern
 Pan-dimensionality

Energy field

 The energy field is the fundamental unit of both the living and the non-living
 This energy field “provides a way to perceive people and environment as
irreducible wholes.
 The energy fields continuously vary in intensity, density and extent.

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  Energy signifies the dynamic nature of the field, a field is in
continuous motion and is infinite. Both human beings and their
environment are conceptualised as energy fields in the system.
Because both are infinite and their boundaries do not end at the
physical body.
 Field is a unifying concept and energy signifies the dynamic
nature of the field.

Openness

The human field and the environment field are constantly exchanging their energy.

There are no boundaries or barriers that inhibit energy flow between fields

Pattern

 Pattern is defined as the distinguishing characteristic of an energy field perceived

as a single wave
 Pattern is an abstraction and gives identity to the field
 Rogers used the concept of pattern is to emphasis that unitary human beings
cannot be understood by studying or summing their part. Each human being has a
unique identifiable pattern. The nature of the pattern changes continuously,
innovately and this changes give identity to the energy field. Each human field
pattern is unique and is integral with the environmental field. Manifestations
emerges as the human-environmental mutual process. Pattern is an abstraction; it
reveals itself through manifestation. “manifestations of pattern have been
described as unique and refer to behaviours, qualities, and characteristic of the
field” a sense self is the field manifestation, the nature of which is unique to an
individual.

Pan-dimensionality

 Pan-dimensionality is defined as “non linear domain with out spatial or temporal

attributes”
 The present is relative, there is no temporal ordering of lives
 This concept was finally named in 1992. It refers to an infinite domain without limits;
making it possible to perceive reality beyond three dimensions. Human and

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 environmental energy field are pandimensional, and this can explain a number of
paranormal phenomena.

PRINCIPLES OF HOMEODYNAMICS

The principles of homeodynamic postulates the way of perceiving unitary human beings. The
fundamental unit of an energy field is a living system.

Three principles of homeodynamics are:

 Integrality
 Resonance
 Helicy

INTEGRALITY

The mutual continuous relationship of the energy field and the environmental field. The
principle of integrality is defined as continuous mutual humanfield and environmental
field process. Integrality is derived from the word integral to explain the essential
relationship between the human and the environment fields. Rogers emphasized the
continuous mutual nature of the human -environmental field.

RESONANCE

The principle of resonancy is defined as the continuous change from lower to higher
frequency wave pattern in human and environmental fields. Human beings are perceived
as wave patterns and a variety of life patterns can be likened to wave patterns. These
include things such as sleep-wake rhythm, hormone levels and fluctuating emotional
states.

HELICY

Helicy describes the unpredictable but continuous, non linear evolution of energy fields
as evidenced by non-repeating rhythmicities. The principle of helicy postulates the
ordering of the human evolutionary emergence. The principle of helicy is defined as the
continuous, innovative, unpredictable, increasing diversity of human and environmental
field patterns.

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 NURSING PROCESS

PATTERN MUTUAL
EVALUATION
APPRAISAL PATTERNING

Pattern appraisal:

• It is an inclusive assessment of human and environment energy fields, its organization

of energy field, and identification of areas of dissonance.

• Nurses validate the entire appraisal along with the client.

Mutual patterning:

• It is the proper patterning of the energy fields between the human and environment.

• It is the mutual interaction between the client and nurse

• Patterning can be done by suggesting the various alternatives, educating, empowering,

encouraging etc. depending on the client’s condition and needs.

. • Pattern appraisal include appraisal of nutrition, rest and sleep, exercises, discomfort, and

relation with others.

• The pattering activities can be therapeutic touch, meditation, humor, imaginery etc

Evaluation:

• Evaluation is done by repeating the pattern appraisal after the mutual patterning to
determine the extents of dissonance and harmony.

Clinical scenario:

• Mr. X is a 54 years old male admitted in the Male Psychiatric ward with the diagnosis of
major depression secondary to the diagnosis of Myocardial Infraction (MI). He was very
tense and sobbing during the history collection. He was accompanied by his wife and son.

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Even though his wife was anxious but still she was supportive and helpful. Mr. X was
diagnosed with MI four months back and underwent the angioplasty three months ago.
Currently he is

on Statins and Antihypertensives. He started to show the signs and symptoms of depression
from the past one month. He used to sit alone, diminished the activities of daily living,
regular crying spells, decreased chat, self muttering, insomnia, anorexia, body aches, least
bothered about personal hygiene, two days before he attempted suicide by hanging on ceiling
fan. His present findings based on the assessment shows that he is very tearful, socially
withdrawn, nutritional status is impaired, crying spells, sad mood, and risk for committing
suicide.

MUTUAL PATTERNING

ASSESSMENT It is the mutual EVALUATION

interaction between
( PATTERN APPRAISAL) Mr X and the nurse for Repeating the pattern
changing the pattern appraisal after the
Mr X is experiencing
and making his all mutual patterning to
the pattern of
emerging pattern as determine the extent of
depression with suicidal
unitary pattern. depression and
ideation, MI, pain, fear,
Therapeutic touches, harmony. Current
sleep disturbance and
meditation, guided symptoms are shared by
appraisal is needed for
imagery, are the X and if changes needed
all of these symptoms.
patterning activities in mutual patterning that
for X. involvement of can be incorporated or
family for the implement the same.
environment
patterning.

METAPARADIGM

UNITARY HUMAN BEING (PERSON)

A unitary human being is open systems which continuously interact with environment. A
person cannot be viewed as parts, it should be considered as a whole.

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ENVIRONMENT

It includes the entire energy field other than a person. These energy fields are irreducible,
not limited by space and time, identified by its pattern and organization.

HEALTH

Not clearly defined by Rogers. It is determined by the interaction between energy fields
i.e. human and environments. Bad interaction or misplacing of energy leads to illness.

NURSING

Nursing exists to serve people. Nursing is both science and art. It is the direct and
overriding responsibility to the society

APPLICATION OF ROGER’S THEORY IN NURSING CLINICAL PRACTICE

NURSING EDUCATION RESEARCH

Clinical practice

• Nursing action is always focused on unitary human being and change the energy field
between human and environment.

• Nursing action include all non-invasive actions such as guided imaginary, humor,
therapeutic touch, music etc. which are used to increase the potential of human field.

• The more importance should be on the management of pain, supportive therapy and
rehabilitation.

Nursing education

• Emphasis should be given on the understanding of the patient and self, energy field and
environment.

• Example : Training should lay more focus on teaching non-invasive modalities such as
therapeutic touch, meditation, humor, regular in service education programme etc.

Research

• Rogerian theory has been used in many research works and has always found testable
and applicable in research.

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 • Example:- A study to assess the effectiveness of music therapy on stress reduction
among postmenopausal women residing in Hudco Colony, Coimbator

• A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Yoga Therapy in Reducing Stress among

Primary Care Givers of Psychiatric Patients.

STRENGTHS

• Rogers’ concepts provide a worldview from which nurses may derive theories and
hypotheses and propose relationships specific to different situations.

• Rogers’ theory is not directly testable due to lack of concrete hypotheses, but it is
testable in principle.

WEAKNESSES

• Overall this theory is considered as very complex concept and quite difficult to
understand.

• Rogers’ model does not define particular hypotheses or theories for it is an abstract,
unified, and highly derived framework.

• Testing the concepts’ validity is questionable because its concepts are not directly
measurable.

• The theory was believed to be profound, and was too ambitious because the concepts
are extremely abstract.

• Rogers claimed that nursing exists to serve people; however, nurses’ roles were not
clearly define.

CONCLUSION

Rogers theory is known as the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Its primary tenets include
the following that is nursing is both a science and art, the uniqueness of nursing , like that of
any other science, lies in the phenomena central to its focus. Nurses long established concern
with the people and the world they live, and encompasses people and the environment. The
integrands of people and the environment that co ordinates with the multidimensional
universe of open systems point to a new paradigm: the identity of nursing as a science.

JOURNAL ABSTRACT

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A Science of
Unitary Human
Beings
Perspective of
Global Health
Nursing
A Science of
Unitary Human
Beings

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Perspective of
Global Health
Nursing
A Science of Unitary Human Beings Perspective of Global Health Nursing

The conceptual ideas of Martha E. Rogers, as taught by her in the early 1980s, are here
revisited as a celebration of 100 years since her birth and as a way to look at global or
universe health nursing in the digital age. Rogers' correlates of unitary development are used
as a matrix to consider contemporary issues in nursing and health. An example of how her
vision has helped create and sustain a healing place for nurses and others called The Sacred
Space Foundation in the United Kingdom is also briefly discussed. The authors hold that her
unitary and optimistic vision remains relevant as a guide to nursing, and interdisciplinary
research and innovation for global health in a rapidly changing world.

REFERANCE

1. Ann Marriner Tomy. Nursing Theorists and their work. Third edition. Mosby
publications. Page number: 328-333
2. Julia. B. George. Nursing Theories the base for professional nursing practice. Sixth
edition. Pearson publishers. Page number:75-88
3. Mary C Townsend. Psychiatric mental health nursing. Sixth edition. Jaypee publishers.
Page number: 230-235

4. George B. Julia, Nursing Theories- The base for professional Nursing Practice, 3rd ed.
Norwalk, Appleton & Lange.
5. Navdeep Kaur. Textbook of advanced nursing practice. Jaypee publishers. Page no. 615-
619.

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6. Bailliere Tindall. Nurses dictionary for nurses and health care workers. Edition 25. Weller
. page no. 67-71.
7. Annnamma Jacob. Clinical nursing procedures: The art of nursing practice. Edition 2.
Jaypee . page no. 162-170.

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