Betty Neuman

The Neuman System Model

Background:
 1924
Born near
Llowell, Ohio
 1947
RN Diploma from
Peoples Hospital
School of Nursing,
Akron, Ohio
 1957
University of
California at Los
Angeles w/ double
major in psychology
and public health
 Received BS
Nursing from
UCLA
 1966
Master Degree in
Mental Health, Public
Health Consultation
from UCLA
 1972
Her model was first
published as a ‘Model for
teaching total person
approach to patient
problems’ in Nursing
research
 1985
Received doctorate
in Clinical
Psychology from
Pacific Western
University
 1998
Received second
honorary doctorate in
Grand Valley State
University, Allendale,
Michigan
Theoretical
Sources
Pierre Tielhard
deChardin
Gestalt Theory
General Adaptation
Syndrome
3 Stages of response to stress:

1.Alarm
2.Resistance
3.Exhaustion
General System
Theory
 Major
Assumptions
Person
 5 Person Variables:

1. Physical / Physiological
2. Psychological
3. Socio-cultural
4. Developmental
5. Spiritual
Environment
 3 Dimensions of
Environment
Internal Environment
External
Environment
Created Environment
 Stressors:
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Extrapersonal
Health
Health / Wellness
 “the condition
in which all parts
and subparts
(variables)
are in harmony
with the whole
of the client”
Nursing
Nursing 
“unique
profession in that
it is concerned
with all of the
variables affecting
an individual’s
response to stress.
 3- Stage Nursing Process

Nursing Diagnosis
Nursing Goals
Nursing Outcomes
Prevention
Prevention is
the primary
nursing
intervention.
Prevention focuses on
keeping stressors
and the stress
response from having
a detrimental effect
on the body.
Primary Prevention
Primary prevention to
protect the normal line
and strengthen the
flexible line of defense.
Secondary prevention
Secondary prevention
to strengthen internal
lines of resistance,
reducing the reaction,
and increasing
resistance factors.
Tertiary prevention
 Tertiary prevention to
readapt and stabilize and
protect reconstitution or
return to wellness
following treatment.
The Neuman System
Model
Central Core
Made up of the basic
survival factors:
oOrgan function
oTemperature control
oGenetic structure
oResponse patterns
oEgo & commonalities
Normal Lines of
Defense
Normal Line Defense is
considered to be usual
level of stability in the
system.
 It can change over
time in response to
coping or responding
to the environment.
Flexible Lines of
Defense
 Flexible line of
Defense is a
protective buffer for
preventing stressors
from breaking
through the usual
wellness state as
represented by the
normal line of
defense.
Lines of Resistance
Line of Resistance
protect the basic
structure and
become activated
when environmental
stressors invade the
normal line of
defense.
Reconstitution
 It is the increase in
energy that occurs in
relation to the degree of
reaction to the stressors.
Reconstitution is the state
of adaptation to stressors
in the internal and
external environment.