A holistic-existential approach to health promotion

Area of Science:

• Nursing Theory
• Philosophy of Nursing
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Health promotion is often implicit in nursing theories but lacks explicit theoretical and philosophical grounding.
• The concept of health promotion in nursing is nonspecific and needs refinement for a distinctive nursing focus.
• Interpretations of health promotion are linked to fundamental concepts like man, health, illness, and nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate a stipulative definition of health promotive nursing.
• To adopt a holistic-existential approach for defining health promotion in nursing.
• To establish a clearer theoretical and philosophical basis for health promotion within nursing.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical frame of reference combined with conceptual analysis and theoretical synthesis.
• Analysis and synthesis of two nursing theories and one nursing model influential in Norwegian nursing.
• Examination of the concepts of man, health, illness/disease, and nursing within the selected theories.

Main Results:

• A stipulative definition of health promotion in nursing is proposed, grounded in a holistic-existential approach.
• The proposed definition is supported by five necessary conditions.
• The study identifies the need for further empirical investigation and comparison with other nursing theories.

Conclusions:

• The proposed definition offers a starting point for developing a theoretical framework for health promotive nursing.
• Clarifying health promotion is essential for advancing nursing's role and focus.
• Further research is required to validate and refine the definition and its conditions.