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THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

Theorist- Sister Calista Roy

Chandra Murali
324 Conceptual Basis of Nursing 1 Theory
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, Peoria, Illinois
11/10/2014

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

Sister Callista Roy was born on October 14, 1939. She was teacher, researcher and
recognized nurse theorist. She was the first-born daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fabien Roy. Her parents name
her after Saint Callista from a Roman Catholic Calendar of the day on which she was born. Through her
childhood days Sister Callista Roy was taught the importance of taking care of people, she was taught as
to the care the people needed and the most important aspect being the selfless giving as a nurse. At the
age of 14 Callista began working as a pantry girl at a large general hospital and very quickly moved she
became a nurses aid. After a lot of soul-searching Sister Callista Roy decided to enter the Sisters of Saint
Joseph of Carondelet, of which she has been a member for more than 40 years. She studied nursing at
Mount St. Mary's College, in Los Angeles where she earned a Bachelor of Arts.
Her college education began in a liberal arts program, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a
major in Raised in a highly religious oriented family Sister Callista Roy was continuously taught the
values of always seeking to know more about people and their care and of selfless giving as a nurse. Her
mother who was a licensed vocational nurse deeply influenced her. Dr. Roy states that she notes that she
also had excellent teachers during her years in school, and college.
Sister Callista Roy worked in hospitals administered by the Sisters of St. Joseph. During this time
she her love and concern for children grew and she began working in pediatric nursing. During this time
she enrolled in a master's degree program in pediatric nursing at the University of California at Los
Angeles in 1964. It was during this time that Sister Callista Roy had the opportunity of working with
Dorothy E. Johnson, whom she regards as one of her most influential mentors.
It was Johnson's work with focusing knowledge for the discipline of nursing that influenced
Sister Callista Roy of the importance of describing the nature of nursing as a service to society and
prompted her to begin developing her adaptation model. In 1966 she joined the faculty of Mount St.
Mary's College. During this time she began organizing study content according to a view of the person
and family as adaptive systems. In 1968, she started to introduce her ideas about Adaptation Nursing as
the basis for an integrated nursing curriculum. She received a lot of encouragement and support from Sr.
Rebecca Doan, chair and founder of the department. Sr. Rebecca Doan was also important in moving the
development of the adaptation model forward and establishing Mount St. Mary's as the flagship school in
the development and implementation of the this model.

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

Theory Comparison with Personal Perceptions

The adaptation level as described by Dr. Roy which represents life processes are presented in
three levels: integrated, compensatory, and compromised life processes. Dr. Roys Adaptation Model
uses a method of coping processes, which are innate, and is genetically acquired and secondly that which
is acquired which means it is learned or developed. These processes adapt in a manner, which helps in
achieving optimal health and well-being. Dr. Roys goal for her adaptation model is for the person to
maintain integrity while dealing with environmental stimuli. The Roy Adaptation Model (RAM) sees
man as having four modes of adaptation. They are 1. Basic physiological needs, 2. Self-concept 3. Role
function 4. Interdependence. Dr. Roys theory provides a systematic approach to nursing practice known
as the nursing process. RAM utilizes a bi-level assessment to problem solve the nursing process in
everyday patient care.
The following are the steps in the process of nursing care. Assessment of Behavior is the first step
of the nursing process, which involves gathering data about the behavior of the person as an adaptive
system in each of the adaptive modes ("Nursing Theories", 2012).
Assessment of Stimuli is the second step of the nursing process is the identification of internal and
external stimuli that influence the persons adaptive behaviors. When we talk about stimuli they can be
classified as following
1. Focal- factors that most affect the person
2. Contextual-all other stimuli present that are affecting the situation
3. Residual- other stimuli whose effect on the situation are unclear. ("Nursing Theories", 2012).
Nursing Diagnosis is the third step of the nursing process involves the formulation of statements that
interpret data about the adaptation status of the person, including the behavior and most relevant stimuli
("Nursing Theories", 2012).
Goal Setting is the forth step of the nursing process involves the establishment of clear statements of the
behavioral outcomes for nursing care with specified time frame ("Nursing Theories", 2012).
Intervention is the fifth step of the nursing process is the determination of how best to assist the person in
attaining the established goals ("Nursing Theories", 2012).

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

Evaluation is the sixth step of the nursing process, which involves evaluating the effectiveness of the
nursing intervention in relation to the behavior after the nursing intervention in comparison with the goal
established ("Nursing Theories", 2012).
Roy's theory is prefect for daily patient care when we utilize a problem solving approach. Nurses
can enhance the wellbeing of a patient by utilizing these ideas to help a patient adapt or respond to
environment. The RAM changed my perspective in the way I looked at nursing, I view nursing as a
support we give to patients who need help in adjusting to human needs.
Personal Philosophy of Nursing
We as nurses need to proceed in our deliberations to improve as well as create theories in the
headway of the nursing future. Nursing is more than beyond just administering to the physiological needs
of a patient. We must view the patients from the point of biological, psychological and social to fully
understand the underlying issues that manifest within the body. We must have the ability to assist in
curing, controlling and eradicating the disease by enhancing the adaptation within these systems, so the
individual may become a balanced, integrated and a complete being. RAM is very clear and visible within
the above-mentioned steps of the nursing process and when utilized as a framework we as nurses can
improve the effectiveness of patient care.
My belief is that we as nurses have a responsibility and that is to provide a patient-centered care.
Which is safe and holistic. We as professional nurses should use our clinical judgment to help the patient
at the time of their needs. As patient advocates, we should help patients by empowering them to become
active partners in their own care. We should also engage with the patient to set goals. We as nurses should
help in maintaining patient confidentiality. We must educate the patients and their families on the various
diseases, treatments associated with a particular illness, and healthy behaviors so that they can improve
their outcome. The healthy behaviors should also be practiced in our own lives as this will help us in
providing a better care to the patients.
In conclusion the RAM theory is a foundation and a guideline which we as nurses should
introduce and follow, in depth, so that we may better understand the nursing process and begin to
implement changes in patient care so that we can the patients all aspects of care is touched and the
outcome is more defined and complete. To be better nurses we need to be committed to be current in
knowledge and skills and seek self-enhancement through perpetual learning. When we do this it will help
us in our beliefs so that we are not stagnant but rather evolve professionally through a evidence-based
practice and technological advances. My goal as a nurse is that I will always continue to stay current by

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY

learning the skills and technology and from interactions with other members of the healthcare team and
by being learning from the experiences of the patients as well as their families.

References
Alligood, Martha Raile., and Ann Marriner-Tomey. Nursing Theory: Utilization & Application. St. Louis,
MO: Mosby Elsevier, 2006. Print.
(5th ed.)
In Alligood, M. R. (2014). Nursing theory: Utilization & application.
Nursing Theorists and Their Work Nursing Theory Utilization and Application 4th Ed. (2009). Mosby.
Parker, M. E. (2005). Nursing theories and nursing practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.

Masters RN, DNS, K. (2010). Nursing Theories: A Framework for Professional Practice Retrieved from
http://samples.jbpub.com/9781449691509/81982_CH02_Pass1.pdf.

THEORIST- SISTER CALISTA ROY