BETTY NEUMAN
THE NEUMAN SYSTEMS MODEL
 Wholism- “helping each other
live”
o Philosophical and
biological concept
 Nursing as a system- nursing
practice contains elements in
interaction with one another
2 Major Components:
 Stress
 Reaction to stress
Client:
 Open system
 Individual, group, family,
community or any aggregate
 Has the propensity to seek or
maintain a balance among the
various factors, both within and
outside the system, that seeks to
disrupt it
Stress:
 Factors that disrupt the system
 Capable of having negative or
positive effects
Reactions to stress
 May be possible or actual with
identifiable responses and
symptoms
Basic Structure and Energy Resources
- basic factors common to all
organisms
o normal temperature range
o genetic structure
o response pattern
o organ strength or
weakness
o ego structure
o knowns or commonalities
Client Variables
• physiological
• psychological
• sociocultural
• developmental
• spiritual
Lines of Resistance
- protects the basic structure
- becomes activated when the
normal lines of defense is
invaded by environmental
stressors
Normal Line of Defense
- represents stability over time
- usual level of stability for the
system or the wellness state
- used as the baseline for
determining deviation from
wellness
Flexible Line of Defense
- outer boundary and initial
response, or protection of the
system to stressors
- cushion- accordionlike
- protects the normal line of
defense and acts as a buffer for
the client’s usual stable state
- dynamic rather than stable
- can be altered over a relatively
short period
Environment
- al the internal and external
factors or influences that
surround the client
- internal environment
- external environment
- created environment
 developed
unconsciously
 symbolic of system
wholeness
 protective coping
shield
 goal: to provide a
positive stimulus
toward health
Stressors
- stimuli that produce tensions
and have the potential for
causing system instability
• type
• nature
• intensity
• timing
• nature of the system’s
reaction/ potential reaction
• amount of energy needed
- classified into:
 intrapersonal
 interpersonal
 extrapersonal