Orem and the nursing process: new directions for the 1990s.

The fourth edition of Orem's book Nursing: Concepts of Practice (1) offers many new insights and applications of her model which will be particularly welcomed by nurses in this country. While there will still be complaints about the 'jargon' the model requires nurses to contend with, Orem has made a serious attempt at making her model more accessible to practitioners. Careful attention has been given to the nurse's role in health promotion and the care of dependent others, in particular children. There has also been the introduction of 'green' issues, such as the impact of toxic substances in the atmosphere. Yet the most important reformulation of Orem's ideas involve the nursing process. The explanation of Orem's ideas in terms identifiable as assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation will assist both student nurses and qualified staff to tackle the 'practical' aspects of Orem's model with more familiarity and ease. This article presents an overview of Orem's current thinking about the nursing process, and identifies similarities with the nursing process as generally understood in this country.