The World Health Organization defines health as

Number 1 post: SG

The World Health Organization defines health as “…a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health Organization, 2004). It is essential to recognize how individuals define health and health problems because they come from their perceptions. One’s health perception affects their lifestyle and ability to function. When an individual does not recognize their health problems, they are not capable of managing them. It is essential to recognize how an individual perceives and defines health because that is the basis of a readiness to change health-related behavior. Changing health behavior is a result of perceived susceptibility, severity, advantages, and disadvantages. For example, a person who perceives smoking as a risk of lung cancer will better understand the risks involved and subsequently make an effort to quit smoking than somebody who does not take it as seriously life-threatening. Likewise, a person seeking preventative health measures (like routine physical exams or recommended cancer screenings) has a different perception of health and disease than someone who only sees their provider if symptoms arise (Zahrt OH). Perception of health can be used to adopt healthy behaviors. It is possible to stimulate positive health-related behavior if the individual perceives benefits associated with recommended behavior. Those benefits outweigh the costs, time, and other related factors of inconvenience.

Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) play a pivotal role in the future of healthcare. APN’s can meet current, or future care needs in both hospitals and primary care settings. APN’s in primary care settings, urgent cares, or walk-in clinics provide improved and easy access to healthcare. APN’s play a significant role in lifestyle modifications, treatment regimens, coordination of care, individual patient care, and health promotion. APN’s act as case managers for older people’s chronic health problems. Unplanned admissions are reduced, and compliance to care is improved. APN’s advise the public on health issues, manage chronic diseases, and engage in continuous education to remain ahead of technological, methodological, and other healthcare developments.

The adaptive model is most attractive between the clinical, role performance, adaptive models. In the adaptive model, a person’s ability to adjust positively to social, mental, and physiological changes measures their health. Any deviation from this is considered an illness. This is probably the most acceptable health model in American society. Another example is an obese person who adjusted to have a positive self-image compared to someone with anorexia nervosa. I like the adaptive model because it measures the person’s ability to adapt to situations instead of setting normalcy limits.

Number 2 Post: OT

Health is the highest well being in a physical, spiritual, and mental capacity of a person. A person’s culture and a person’s beliefs can impact a person’s health and the way they see health. The way an individual defines health is important because if a person does not value or care about health, he/she will have many problems and complications. Health of a person who does not care about health can lead to many diseases and poor quality of life. If an individual cares about health and values it, he/she might be healthier and be concise of one’s health and choices. Better choices might be made by a person who cares about health.

An advanced practice nurse that values health may be able to better health his/hers patients. It is important for nurses to be an example. Health is a core concept in society (Edelman & Kudzma, 2018). Wellness-illness, a dichotomized portrayal of health and illness ranging from high-level wellness at the positive end to depletion of health at the negative end (Edelman & Kudzma, 2018). The second paradigm characterizes health as a perspective development phenomenon of unitary patterning of the person environment (Edelman & Kudzma, 2018). Many factors in society can also influence health. This is known as social determinants of health.

I took a look at the four theoretical models, and I like the Clinical Model. I think I like the clinical model because it is the conventional model that I am used to in medicine. The clinical model describes classic western medicine. People in this type of model usually do not seek preventive medicine. They only see the doctor or a nurse practitioner when they are experiencing illness symptoms. As nurses, this is part of the way we practice. We take care of sick patients. Yes we advocate and educate our patients, but we often only see them when they are sick.