Orem's theory used as a guide for the nursing care of an eight-year-old child with leukemia.

Orem's general theory of nursing provides a framework for holistic pediatric oncology nursing. In this article, an overview of Orem's theory is provided. The theory is used to assess the self-care deficits of an 8-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with leukemia, the ability of the mother to meet the son's self-care demands, and the nursing system needed to assist the mother to meet her son's self-care demands. The theory is used to plan and evaluate the nursing care of this child. A comprehensive list of nursing diagnoses and a nursing care plan for two of these diagnoses are presented.