Virginia Henderson's 14 Basic Needs
Virginia Henderson defined nursing as assisting the individual in activities contributing to health or recovery that they would perform unaided if they had the strength, will, or knowledge. Her framework identifies 14 fundamental human needs.
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What you must know about Henderson's 14 Needs
Henderson defined nursing as helping the person perform activities they would do unaided given the strength, will, or knowledge.
The 14 needs range from physiological (breathing, eating, elimination) to psychological, spiritual, and occupational needs.
The goal of nursing is to help the patient regain independence as quickly as possible.
The first needs are physiological: normal breathing, adequate nutrition, elimination, movement, sleep and rest.
Higher needs include communicating, worshipping according to faith, working, playing, and learning.
The nurse acts as a substitute, helper, and partner depending on the patient’s strength and knowledge.
NMCN Exam Tips
How this topic appears in the NMCN exam
NMCN frequently asks you to identify which need is physiological versus psychological.
Remember the definition of nursing word-for-word — it is a common fill-in or multiple-choice stem.
Independence is the goal — answer options mentioning "independence" are often correct.
Compare Henderson (14 needs, independence) with Orem (self-care) in comparison questions.
Practice Question
Test yourself
According to Virginia Henderson, the ultimate goal of nursing care is to help the patient achieve:
Explanation
Henderson's central concept is that nursing assists the individual to become independent in performing the 14 basic needs as soon as possible. Cure is a medical goal, not the defining aim of Henderson's nursing theory.
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