[Orem in medical-surgical practice]

The Orem self-care model is directed towards maintaining the integrity of the human structure through regulating its function and development. In this article, Orem theory is applied to Louis, a 68-year-old man suffering from multiple sclerosis, admitted to a medical-surgical ward as a result of urinary retention. Answers are given to why Louis requires nursing care; what are his self-care practices and requirements; and how to determine his self-care deficits and translate them into nursing diagnosis.