Julie Cheung
Abstract
Orem's self-care framework has been recognized as a valuable model for nursing practice not only because it attempts to address a broad range of problems but because it can also be useful in guiding clinical practice. This article applies Orem's self-care framework to the nursing care of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma after extended right hepatectomy. This case study illustrates the usefulness of Orem's self-care model in directing a systematic assessment and thus resulting in a nursing care plan. In addition, the model also provides a guide to the choice of nursing interventions. The nurse uses performance criteria to evaluate the outcome of the nursing system in relation to changes in the patient's self-care agency and self-care behaviour. It is suggested that the use of these principles strengthens the theoretical approach to nursing practice.
Key words: Hepatectomy, hepatocellular carcinoma, nursing assessment interventions, Orem's self-care framework