The Concept of Adaptation Using Sis. Callista Roy's Model of Adaptation A Concept Analysis
St. Augustine's College
Exploring the Concept of Adaptation Adaptation has long been described as one of the mean tools of human and animal survival. A chameleon changes its color to hide from a predator, a child becomes withdrawn to deal with the death of a loved one or a soldier learns how to walk with a prosthetic limb after the traumatic amputation of a leg due to injury. All of these situations describe a form of adaptation on behalf of the individual in order to deal with a stressful situation. According to Sister Callista Roy (2009)” adaptation is the process and outcome whereby thinking and feeling persons as individuals or in The Roy adaptation model (Roy & Andrews, 1999) viewed the individual as a holistic adaptive system who responds to different stimuli in the environment, he/she processes changes in the environment through emotional channels that involve perception, learning, judgment and emotion (Cunningham, 2002). Model Cases Walker & Avant (2010) state that a model case illustrates or exemplifies the concept and includes demonstrations of all defining attributes (CCN, 2012). A model case of adaptation could be a previously withdrawn 45 year old female patient with a new colostomy. The patient Mrs. X shied away from learning how to care for her colostomy, refusing even to look at the colostomy during colostomy care. Subsequently Mrs. X now asks appropriate questions, has become more involved even to the point of changing her colostomy appliance. During this process the nurse encourages the patient by asking open ended questions about her feelings, the nurse also assures the patient that when she is ready to talk or learn someone will be available to answer her questions. Mr. L is a 35 year old newly diagnosed diabetic, who is open and receptive to diet and lifestyle changes that has become necessary to control his blood glucose levels. The adaptation can be seen by the patient taking part in the discussion with his nutritionist, asking appropriate questions
