Models for designing health-oriented nursing practice : contributions to nursing practice and the nursing discipline

Abstract

Health generally represents what nurses should strive for in their practice. However, due to their general nature, the definitions of health are problematic for designing a health-oriented nursing practice. Rather than attempting to design it through a conceptual definition of what health is, some authors from the human sciences suggest using models that allow for a concrete commitment to health. Although this avenue is little explored in nursing, it is suggested that these practice-oriented health models would make it possible to design actionable mechanisms that generate health through practices, like nursing. The objective of this article is, through existing practice-oriented health models, to propose actionable mechanisms of health-oriented nursing practice. By invoking two models, from the writings of the philosopher Nordenfelt, as well as the sociologist Venkatapuram, two illustrations are proposed, both of which allow us to propose different actionable mechanisms. Anchored in the values that support a health-oriented practice, as well as in a descriptive component, this reflection highlights the potential of such models to concretely pursue a health-oriented nursing practice. These proposals appear to be promising for the participation of nursing science in the transdisciplinary understanding of health.