Pre-final-Lecture-2

Republic of the Philippines
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Sulu college of technology, inc.
Tanjung, Kajatian, Indanan, Sulu
Nursing Department
☎ +63 68-1259 ┃ [email protected] ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness
Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness is a prominent nursing

theory that views health and illness as part of a broader concept of human development and
evolving consciousness. Developed in 1978, Newman’s theory emphasizes the role of
consciousness in health and healing, proposing that health is not merely the absence of disease but
a process of expanding awareness and self-understanding through life experiences, including
illness. Her theory applies particularly well to patients dealing with chronic illnesses and life-
altering conditions.
Core Concepts of Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness
Newman’s theory is rooted in the belief that all individuals, regardless of their health status, are
part of the dynamic process of becoming more conscious of themselves and their place in the
world. It integrates the concepts of health, illness, consciousness, and patterning in a way that
encourages a deeper understanding of life, illness, and personal growth.
1. Health as Expanding Consciousness
Definition:
• Health is defined as the expansion of consciousness, not the absence of disease. Newman’s
theory proposes that health and illness are manifestations of the same process—growth in
awareness and understanding. Individuals experiencing illness can achieve higher levels of
awareness and personal growth through their health challenges.
Key Aspects:
• Health is not defined by the physical condition of the body but by the person’s capacity for
higher consciousness and deeper insight into their life.
• Illness is not seen as a negative event but as an opportunity for personal and spiritual
growth, as it facilitates a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s environment.
Importance in Nursing:
• Nurses play a critical role in facilitating this process by helping patients find meaning in
their experiences of illness and by encouraging personal growth and self-awareness.
• Rather than focusing solely on curing disease, the nurse’s role is to assist patients in
exploring the broader meaning of their health condition and in expanding their
consciousness.
Nursing Department
2. Consciousness
Definition:
• Consciousness, in Newman’s theory, is the underlying life force that connects individuals
with their environment and the world around them. It encompasses physical, emotional,
intellectual, and spiritual awareness.
Key Aspects:
• Consciousness is not limited to cognitive awareness but includes the totality of an

individual’s experiences, perceptions, and interactions with their surroundings.
• Consciousness expands as individuals gain new insights into their lives, relationships, and
health experiences.
• Nurses help patients expand their consciousness by facilitating reflection, supporting

emotional and spiritual needs, and fostering personal insight.
• Newman’s theory encourages nurses to engage with patients on a deeper level, recognizing
the patient as a whole being rather than focusing only on their illness.
3. Pattern
Definition:
• Pattern refers to the unique set of characteristics or traits that define an individual’s
experience of health and illness. Patterns are dynamic and reflect the interconnectedness
of mind, body, and spirit in response to life events.
Key Aspects:
• Patterns are visible manifestations of a person’s life process, including health, behavior,
and relationships.
• Each person’s pattern is unique, and illness or health challenges may reveal new patterns
of behavior or understanding.
Nursing Department
• Nurses observe and identify patterns in a patient’s life, health, and behavior. By
recognizing these patterns, nurses can better understand the patient’s health experience and
provide care that promotes expanded consciousness.
• The focus shifts from eliminating symptoms to understanding the meaning of patterns,
which fosters deeper healing and personal growth.
4. The Nurse-Patient Relationship
Definition:
• In Newman’s theory, the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership in which both nurse

and patient engage in a mutual process of expanding consciousness. The nurse is not just a
caregiver but a partner in the patient’s journey toward greater awareness and
understanding.
Key Aspects:
• Mutual Process: The nurse and patient work together, learning from one another. This
partnership allows both to grow in understanding and insight.
• Presence and Engagement: The nurse is fully present, actively listening and responding
to the patient’s experiences in a holistic manner.
• Nonjudgmental Approach: Nurses approach the patient without preconceived notions or
judgments, allowing for the patient’s individuality and personal journey to unfold.
• Nurses are encouraged to create a deep connection with patients, focusing on understanding
the whole person and their life experiences rather than just the physical symptoms of
illness.
• By engaging in this mutual relationship, nurses help patients explore the meaning of their
illness and support the expansion of their consciousness.
5. Time and Space
Definition:
• Time and space are critical dimensions in Newman’s theory, influencing how
consciousness and patterns unfold. Time and space reflect the interconnectedness of life
Nursing Department
events, and understanding a patient’s experience within these dimensions is key to

understanding their health journey.
Key Aspects:
• Time in this theory is not linear but experiential, focusing on the patient’s life events and
how they perceive the passage of time in relation to their health.
• Space refers to the relational space between individuals and their environment, including
physical, emotional, and spiritual interactions.
• Nurses must understand how patients perceive their experiences over time and how they
relate to their physical and emotional spaces.
• Recognizing how patients are affected by these dimensions helps nurses provide care that
is more meaningful and congruent with the patient’s life story and health journey.
Application of Newman’s Theory in Nursing Practice
Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness has wide applicability, especially in

areas where patients face chronic illness, life-threatening conditions, or significant life transitions.
The theory encourages nurses to view illness as an opportunity for patients to gain greater
awareness of themselves and their life journey.
1. Chronic Illness Management
Scenario:
• A nurse is caring for a patient with a chronic illness, such as multiple sclerosis, which
affects the patient’s mobility and lifestyle.
Application:
• Consciousness: The nurse encourages the patient to explore their emotional and spiritual
experiences related to the illness. Through reflective conversations, the nurse helps the
patient gain insights into how their condition has shaped their life and identity.
• Pattern: The nurse identifies patterns of resilience and adaptation in the patient’s behavior
and encourages the patient to find meaning in these patterns as a source of strength.
• Expanding Consciousness: The nurse guides the patient toward viewing the illness not
just as a limitation but as an opportunity for personal growth and new perspectives.
Nursing Department
2. Palliative Care
Scenario:
• A nurse is caring for a terminally ill patient in a palliative care setting.
Application:
• Consciousness: The nurse supports the patient in reflecting on their life, helping them find
peace and closure as they confront the end of life. The nurse’s presence facilitates a deep
emotional and spiritual connection with the patient.
• Pattern: The nurse observes and discusses changes in the patient’s perception of life,
death, and relationships, encouraging the patient to see the dying process as a continuation
of their life journey.
• Nurse-Patient Relationship: The nurse builds a trusting, empathetic relationship,
engaging in conversations that help the patient explore the meaning of their life and death,
contributing to a sense of fulfillment.
3. Mental Health Nursing
Scenario:
• A nurse is working with a patient diagnosed with depression and anxiety, helping them
cope with emotional distress and personal difficulties.
Application:
• Consciousness: The nurse helps the patient reflect on the deeper causes of their emotional
state and encourages the patient to explore how their mental health challenges relate to life
events and relationships.
• Pattern: The nurse identifies patterns in the patient’s emotional responses and helps the
patient gain new insights into these patterns. By recognizing these emotional patterns, the
patient can learn to manage their symptoms more effectively.
• Time and Space: The nurse helps the patient understand how their mental health has
evolved over time and how their emotional well-being is influenced by their environment,
relationships, and sense of personal space.
Nursing Department
Rosemarie Rizzo Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming
Rosemarie Rizzo Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming is a nursing theory that presents a unique,
philosophical approach to nursing, focusing on quality of life as it is experienced from the patient's
perspective. Developed in 1981, Parse’s theory is grounded in humanistic principles and
emphasizes the individual’s freedom, choice, and subjective experience of health and well-
being. The theory is based on three central themes: meaning, rhythmicity, and transcendence.
Core Concepts of Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming
Parse’s theory takes a holistic approach to nursing and rejects the traditional biomedical model’s
emphasis on curing disease. Instead, it focuses on the patient’s unique experience of becoming,
which involves continually evolving and changing in relation to self and others. Parse’s theory
encourages nurses to focus on quality of life from the patient's viewpoint and to establish
meaningful relationships with patients as they go through health and life changes.
1. Meaning
Definition:
• Meaning in Parse's theory refers to how individuals make sense of their experiences.
Humans live in a world of meaning, and their experiences of health, illness, and well-being
are shaped by their interpretations and choices.
Key Aspects:
• Lived Experience: Each person's experience of health and illness is personal and
subjective, influenced by their perceptions and beliefs.
• Individual Interpretation: What health means to one person may be different for another,
depending on personal life experiences and values.
• Nurses must focus on understanding the patient's experience from their perspective,
engaging in open dialogue and encouraging patients to express their own meanings of
health, illness, and life events.
• By understanding the patient's unique perspective, nurses can tailor their care to align with
the patient's values and choices, promoting a higher quality of life.
Nursing Department
2. Rhythmicity
Definition:
• Rhythmicity reflects the idea that life is a process of continuous, dynamic interplay
between opposites—such as joy and sorrow, health and illness, or freedom and limitation.
It emphasizes the rhythmic flow of life’s experiences as individuals interact with the world
and with others.
Key Aspects:
• Paradox: Life is a continuous balancing act between opposites. Patients might experience
health and illness simultaneously, reflecting the complexity and rhythm of human
existence.
• Inseparability: Human beings and their environment are interconnected, and their
interactions are constantly changing. Life flows in rhythmic patterns, including health,
illness, and personal growth.
• Nurses should recognize that patients experience their lives as a series of dynamic
opposites, and both positive and negative experiences contribute to the patient’s overall
sense of well-being.
• The nurse’s role is to support patients in navigating these rhythms, helping them find
balance and meaning in the face of life’s challenges.
3. Transcendence
Definition:
• Transcendence refers to the process of reaching beyond the self to evolve and transform.
It is about rising above the present situation to achieve a greater sense of purpose and
personal growth.
Key Aspects:
• Becoming More: Human beings are always in a state of becoming, continuously growing,
changing, and evolving. Transcendence involves moving beyond current limits or
circumstances to discover new possibilities in life.
• Potentiality: Individuals possess the ability to make choices that affect their personal
growth and quality of life. Even in the face of illness or suffering, people have the potential
to transcend their current situation by finding new meaning and purpose.
Nursing Department
• Nurses help patients explore their potential for growth and transformation, even in difficult
circumstances, such as chronic illness or end-of-life care.
• By focusing on the patient’s ability to transcend their current limitations, nurses can
support patients in achieving a higher level of personal satisfaction and well-being.
Guiding Principles of Parse’s Human Becoming Theory
Parse’s theory operates on three guiding principles that emphasize the patient’s freedom to choose
and the continuous nature of life’s unfolding events.
1. Structuring Meaning
• Individuals structure their own realities through the choices they make and the meanings
they assign to their experiences.
• Nurses help patients explore their own meanings of health, illness, and life situations,
encouraging them to make choices that align with their personal values and beliefs.
2. Cocreating Rhythmicity
• Human beings and their environment are in constant interaction, cocreating life
experiences in an ongoing rhythm of ups and downs.
• Nurses work alongside patients to help them navigate the dynamic flow of life, finding
balance and harmony between opposing forces like health and illness.
3. Cotranscending with Possibilities
• People are constantly evolving, moving beyond current limitations and exploring new
possibilities for growth and becoming.
• Nurses support patients in transcending their current experiences and realizing new
potential for growth, well-being, and self-understanding.
The Role of the Nurse in Parse’s Theory

Nursing Department
Parse’s theory shifts the focus of nursing away from traditional tasks like curing disease and
managing symptoms, instead emphasizing the nurse’s role as a guide and partner in the patient’s
journey of becoming. The nurse's goal is to enhance the patient’s quality of life by understanding
and respecting the patient’s unique perspective on health and life.
1. Presence and Listening
• The nurse’s role is to be present with the patient, listening carefully to understand their
experience and perspective.
• Active listening and being fully present help the nurse gain insight into the patient’s unique
interpretation of their health and life.
2. Supporting Patient Choice
• The nurse respects the patient’s freedom to make choices about their health and life. Nurses
encourage patients to make decisions that reflect their own values and personal meanings.
• Instead of focusing solely on clinical outcomes, nurses help patients discover what makes
life meaningful for them.
3. Facilitating Meaning-Making
• Nurses assist patients in finding meaning in their experiences, especially during

challenging times such as illness or loss. By helping patients reflect on their experiences,
nurses promote self-awareness and personal growth.
4. Encouraging Growth and Transcendence
• Nurses support patients in exploring possibilities for growth, even in the face of illness. By
promoting transcendence, nurses help patients achieve personal fulfillment and a deeper
sense of well-being.
Application of Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming in Nursing Practice

Nursing Department
1. Chronic Illness Care
Scenario:
• A nurse is caring for a patient with a long-term chronic illness, such as rheumatoid arthritis,
which limits the patient’s mobility and independence.
Application:
• Meaning: The nurse engages the patient in discussions about how they view their illness
and how it affects their sense of self and independence. The nurse helps the patient explore
what gives their life meaning despite the limitations caused by the illness.
• Rhythmicity: The nurse acknowledges that the patient’s experience of living with the
illness involves both good and bad days, helping the patient navigate these cycles and find
balance.
• Transcendence: The nurse encourages the patient to set goals for personal growth and find
new ways to live fully, perhaps through adaptive hobbies, exercise, or new social
connections.
2. Palliative Care
Scenario:
• A nurse is providing care for a terminally ill patient in a palliative care setting.
Application:
• Meaning: The nurse facilitates conversations with the patient about their life’s meaning,
helping them reflect on their experiences, relationships, and what they want to achieve in
their remaining time.
• Rhythmicity: The nurse helps the patient and their family navigate the emotional highs
and lows of terminal illness, promoting moments of connection and peace.
• Transcendence: The nurse encourages the patient to transcend the fear of death by
focusing on achieving emotional closure, spiritual peace, and reconciliation with loved
ones.
3. Mental Health Nursing
Scenario:
• A mental health nurse is working with a patient experiencing depression after the loss of a
loved one.
Nursing Department
Application:
• Meaning: The nurse helps the patient explore the personal meaning of the loss,
encouraging them to express their grief and make sense of the changes in their life.
• Rhythmicity: The nurse acknowledges the patient’s emotional ups and downs, supporting
them in finding a rhythm that includes both sorrow and moments of relief or peace.
• Transcendence: The nurse guides the patient toward healing by encouraging them to
envision a future beyond their current pain, focusing on personal growth and finding new
sources of joy and connection.

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Republic of the Philippines

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness

Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness is a prominent nursing

Core Concepts of Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness

1. Health as Expanding Consciousness

• Consciousness is not limited to cognitive awareness but includes the totality of an

• Nurses help patients expand their consciousness by facilitating reflection, supporting

4. The Nurse-Patient Relationship

• In Newman’s theory, the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership in which both nurse

5. Time and Space

events, and understanding a patient’s experience within these dimensions is key to

Application of Newman’s Theory in Nursing Practice

Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness has wide applicability, especially in

1. Chronic Illness Management

• A nurse is caring for a terminally ill patient in a palliative care setting.

3. Mental Health Nursing

Rosemarie Rizzo Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming

Core Concepts of Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming

Guiding Principles of Parse’s Human Becoming Theory

3. Cotranscending with Possibilities

The Role of the Nurse in Parse’s Theory

1. Presence and Listening

2. Supporting Patient Choice

• Nurses assist patients in finding meaning in their experiences, especially during

4. Encouraging Growth and Transcendence

Application of Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming in Nursing Practice

1. Chronic Illness Care

3. Mental Health Nursing

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