MARTHA ROGERS

Science of Unitary Human Being

SHIRLEY ECKES BSN, RN, CCRN

MARIA PEREZ BSN, RNC-OBQuickTime™ and a

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WHY THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL - SCIENCE OF UNITARY HUMAN

BEINGS (SUHB)?

Rogers felt “there had to be a body of knowledge that was specific to and unique to nursing” (Rogers, 1978a).

Her aim was to develop “a conceptual system that would give identity to nursing as a knowledgeable endeavor” (Rogers, 1978b).

KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT IN NURSING WHILE SUHB WAS BEING

DEVELOPED

During the 1970’s, the decade Rogersintroduced the theory of SUHB, major nursetheorists were coming together at nursing theoryconferences, groups were growing,organizations were formed, andconferences were developed around thework of a particular theorist (Fawcett, 2003, p.

45).

A NEW WORLDVIEW IS REQUIRED

Totality Worldview Person is a holistic being

with - biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual components.

Person and environment influence each other.

Health is “well-being or wholeness that results from the human- environment interaction” (Fulton & Lyon, 2010, p. 30).

Simultaneity Worldview Moves away from a particulate

view of man (Peterson, 2009, p. 12)

Whole means unitary, one cannot be understood by looking at the parts, and humans cannot be separated from the universe (Wright, 2007, p. 64).

Health is a social construct , “thus it has no inherent value in itself” (Fulton & Lyon, 2010, p. 30).

HOW SIMULTANEITY UNDERPINS THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF SUHB

cell therapy to field Theory entropic to negentropic universe 3-dimension to pandimensional person-environment as dichotomous to person-environment as

integral causation and adaptation to mutual process dynamic equilibrium to innovative growing diversity homeostasis to homeodynamics waking as a basic state to waking as an evolutionary emergent closed to open-systems

(Malinski, 2001)

5 ASSUMPTIONS /THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS SUPPORTING ROGERS

MODEL

“Man is a unified whole possessing his own integrity and manifesting characteristics more than and different form the sum of his parts.

Man and environment are continuously exchanging matter and energy with one another (openness).

The life process evolves irreversible and unidirectionally along the space-time (helicy).

Pattern and organization identify man and reflect his innovative wholeness (pattern and organization).

Man is characterized by the capacity for abstraction and imagery, language and thought, sensation, and emotion (sentient, thinking being)”.

(Tomey, 1998, p. 211)

FOUR FUNDAMENTAL POSTULATES

“The Science of Unitary Human beings is rooted in a 4 dimensional, negentropic, non-causal, open system model in which human and environment fields are irreducible and integral with one another."

(Martha Rogers, 1998, p. 6)

These postulates are:

1. Energy Fields 2. Openness3. Pattern 4. Pandimensionality

(Fawcett, 2009)

POSTULATES DEFINED

1. Energy Fields - living and non-living dynamic, infinite and continuously moving

2. Openness - open universe, no boundaries other than perpetual ones

3. Pattern - changing continuously while giving identity to each unique human-environmental field

4. Pan dimensionality - non-linear domain without spatial or temporal attributes, non-linear,transcends the traditional notions of time and space

THREE PRINCIPALS OF SUHB CONCEPTAL MODEL

HOMEODYNAMICS - term Rogers chose to convey a dynamic, ever changing life and world (Malinksi, 2001).

Principal’s of HOMEODYNAMICS:

1. RESONANCY - constant fluctuations in frequency and patterns in human and environmental fields2. HELICY - unpredictable and increasing diversity in

field patterns describing the nature of change3. INTEGRALITY - changing environmental and human fields where person and environment are inseparable(Fawcett, 2003)

THEORIES IDENTIFIED BY ROGERS

Theory of Accelerating Evolution: “the only norm is accelerating change” (Malinski, 2001, p. 197).

Theory of the Emergence of Paranormal Phenomena: “experiences commonly labeled ‘paranormal’ are actually manifestations of the changing diversity and innovation of field patterning” (Malinski, 2001, p. 198).

Theory of Manifestation of Field Patterning in Unitary Human Beings: evolution is an irreducible, nonlinear process characterized by increasing diversity of field patterning” (Malinski, 2001, p. 198).

SUHB A CONCEPTUAL MODEL AS RESEARCH STIMULUS

By definition must be capable of generating theory..

Grand Theory

Orem 1971 King 1971 Roy 1984 Parse * 1981

Newman* 1986

Helicy

(Barrett, 1990)

Resonancy

(Bultemeier, 1993)

Integrality (Floyd, 1983)

Middle Range

Power-as-Knowing-Participation in Change (Barrett, 1990)

Theory of Perceived Dissonance

(Bultemeier, 1993)

Theory of Interactive Rhythms

(Floyd, 1983)

MIDRANGE ROGERIAN PRACTICE THEORIES

Barrett’s Theory of Power as Knowing - Participation in Change “capacity to participate knowingly in the nature of change

characterizing the continuous patterning of the human and environmental fields as manifested by awareness, choices, freedom to act intentionally, and involvement in creating change” (Malinski, p. 199).

Bultemeier Theory of Perceived Dissonance “highlights areas of harmony and dissonance in pattern appraisal, then

identify possible patterning activities” (Malinski, p. 199). Floyd’s Theory of Interactive Rhythms

Studied in 1983, 1984 Findings “were not directly identified as being potentially

significant for nursing practice” (Rogerian Science, 2008).

SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS THAT INFLUENCED DEVELOPMENT OF SUHB

Nonlinear dynamics of quantum physicsGeneral System Theory (von Bertalanffy)Theory of Relativity (Einstein)Electrodynamics Theory (Burr and

Northrop)(Tomey and Alligood, 1998, p. 210)

NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS

Dynamics - deals with change, with systems that evolve in time” (Strogatz, 1994, p. 2).

Regardless if the change reaches an equilibrium, repeats, or becomes more complicated it is through analysis of dynamics that we come to know.

GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY

Von Bertalanffy introduced theory in the 1950’s, affecting the development of knowledge in all disciplines.

Goal is: to “understand man and his environment as part of interacting systems” (p. 3). to “study this interaction from multiple perspectives, holistically” (p. 3).

“Inherent to this approach is a comprehensive historical, contemporary and futuristic outlook” (p. 3).

Promotes a culture wherein science, philosophy and religion are not longer separated from each other” (p. 4).

Negentrophy - term to indicate increasing order, complexity, and heterogencity in direct contrast with the common view that the universe was winding down.

(Skyttner, 2005) Rogers modified this thinking “denying hierarchal subsystems, the concept of single

causation, and predictability of a system’s behavior through investigation of its parts” (Tomeeu and Alligood, 1998, p. 208).

ELECTRODYNAMIC THEORY

RELATING TO ELECTICAL FIELDS “As postulated by Northrop and Burr (1935), the pattern or organization of any biological system is established by a complex electrodynamic field which is in part determined by its atomic physiochemical components and which in part determines the behavior and orientation of those components” (Miller, Webb, & Dickson, 1973).

"The pattern or organization of any biological system is established by a complex electrodynamic field, which is in part determined by its atomic physiochemical components and which in part determines the behavior and orientation of those components. This field is electrical in the physical sense, and by its properties it relates the entities ofthe biological system in a characteristic pattern and is itself in part a result of the existence of those entities” (Miller, Webb, & Dickson, 1973).

THEORY OF RELATIVITY Challenged the accepted theory of the time, absolutism

(i.e. not relative, dependent, or changeable). The “traditional meanings of homeostasis's, steady

state, adaptation, and equilibrium were seriously questioned” (Tomeu and Alligood, 1998, p. 210).

“The closed system, entropic model of the universe was no longer adequate to explain phenomena, and evidence continued to accumulate in support of a universe of open systems” (Tomeu and Alligood, 1998, p. 210).

ECONOMY & POLITICAL INFLUENCES

The 1970’s continued to see the rapid and radical social changes of the late 1960s.

The Vietnam war, economic “stagflation,” energy crisis, Watergate scandal, and the Iranian capture of U.S. hostages dominated national headlines.

Women and minorities were demanding and gaining in legal equality. U.S. Supreme court overturned all state laws limiting a women's right to

an abortion in the first trimester. First Earth Day spurring environmental activism. Three Mile Island accident leading to antinuclear power demonstrations.

HEALTH MOVEMENT American Heart Association (AHA) President Mark Berke was among health care

leaders predicting the country would have a national health insurance program by the mid-1970s

The AHA endorsed a sweeping statement on making communities healthier. It held members accountable for all health care needs in their communities and promoted the role of hospitals in disease prevention, health maintenance and consumer involvement.

Nursing survival depends on being able to make a difference in promoting the health of people.

Theories to help nurses conceptualize health in a new way to improve human well-being were needed.

Nurses should become experts in noninvasive modalities to promote health. Nursing is both a science and art. The uniqueness of nursing, like that of any other

science, lies in the phenomenon central to its focus (Rogers). Nurses long established concern with the people and the world they live is in a natural

forerunner of an organized abstract system encompassing people and the environments (Rogers).

SOCIAL CULTURAL FACTORS

EFFECTIVENESS OF ROGERS IN EXPANDING HER BODY OF

KNOWLEDGE

Her conceptual model is responsible for numerous grand theories, mid range theories, and instruments while continuing to spawn further research.

Society of Rogerian ScholarsVisions: The Journal of Rogerian Nursing

ScienceShe identified many ideas for further research

using her conceptual model.

VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH MARTHA ROGERS

Part 1

http://youtu.be/V1XN3rPKndE

Part 2

http://youtu.be/f6qWm8sGut0

REFERENCE Fawcett, J. (2003). The nurse theorists: 21st century updates Martha E. Rogers. Nursing Science

Quarterly.16 (1):44-51 Fulton, J.S., & Lyon, B.L. (2010). Foundations of clinical nurse specialist practice. New

York: Springer. Malinski, V. M. (2001). Martha E. Rogers science of unitary human beings. In Parker, M. (Ed),

Nursing theories and nursing practice (193-226). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. Miller, R. A., Webb, B.L., & Dickson, D. (1973). The holographic concept of reality

Retrieved from http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_hollographic_conceptreality.htm

Nursing theories a companion to nursing theories - martha rogers science of unitary human beings. (2011, February 21). Retrieved from http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/unitary_human_beings.html

Parker & Leihr (2010). Nursing theory and practices. Saunders. Barlett and Jones. Peterson, S. J., & Bredow, T. S. (2009). Middle range theories. Philadelphia: Lippincott

Williams & Wilkins.

REFERENCE Rogers, M. E. (Speaker). (1978a, December). Application of theory in education and service

[Audiotape]. Paper presented at the Second Annual Nurse Educator Conference, New York. Rogers, M. E. (Speaker). (1978b, December). Nursing science: a science of unitary man

[Audiotape]. Paper presented at the Second Annual Nurse Educator Conference, New York. Rogers, M. F. (1989). Rogerian foundations questions for dr. martha e. rogers.

Rogerian Nursing Science News, 1(3), 6. Slide 1 (photo) http://www.societyofrogerianscholars.org/biography_mer.html Society of rogerian scholars. (2008). Retrieved from

http://www.societyofrogerianscholars.org/biley_pg12.html Strogatz, S. J. (1994). Nonlinear dynamics and chaos. Cambridge, MA: Westview

Press. Wright, B. W. (2007). The evolution of rogers’ science of unitary human beings: 21st

century reflections. Nursing Science Quarterly, 20(1), 64-67. Skyttner, L. C. (2005). General systems theory: problems, perspectives, practice. Singapore:

World Scientific. Tomey. A. M., Alligood, M. R., (1998). Martha E. Rogers Unitary Human Beings. In

Bultemeier, K., Gunther, M., Daily, J. S., Maupin, J. S., Murray, C. A., Satterly, M. C., Schnell, D. L., Wallace, T. L. (Eds.), Nursing Theorists And Their Work (207 - 226). St. Louise: Mosby.

The Science of Unitary Human Beings: Theoretical Basis for Nursing. Howard K. Butcher, Editor. Retrieved July, 2, 2011from http://rogeriannursingscience.wikispaces.com/