Newman’s theory of health as expanding consciousness: an evolutionary concept analysis

TL;DR

This paper explores Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness, analyzing its components and applications in nursing.

Contribution

The study offers a comprehensive evolutionary concept analysis of the health as expanding consciousness theory.

Findings

HEC characteristics include movement, time, space, energy, rhythm, and health paradigms.

Antecedents of HEC include disease, chaos, binding, centring, and choice points.

Consequences of HEC involve self-transcendence, expanded consciousness, and real freedom.

Abstract

The health as expanding consciousness (HEC) theory posits that health and disease are interconnected components of a comprehensive process aimed at expanding consciousness.

The objective of this study is to introduce the concept, research status and applications of HEC and offer a comprehensive understanding of its various key components.

Databases including EMBASE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Wiley, Web of Science, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and CQVIP, covering the period from 1986 to 2023.

Employing Rodgers’ evolutionary concept analysis approach, this study included and analysed 70 studies.

The characteristics of HEC comprise aspects such as movement, time, space, energy, rhythm, and paradigm of health. The antecedents of HEC encompass disease, chaos, binding, centring, and choice point. Consequences associated with HEC include self-transcendence, unbinding, decentring, expanded consciousness, real freedom, pattern recognition, absolute consciousness, and death.

This study has identified substitute terms, related concepts, attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical references associated with HEC. The findings provide valuable information applicable across various domains of nursing, encompassing practice, education, research, and management.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-024-02262-8.

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