Table 1.

Power Components of Self-Care Agency

Ability to maintain attention and exercise requisite vigilance with respect to self as self-care agent and internal and external conditions and factors significant for self-care Controlled use of available physical energy that is sufficient for the initiation of the movements required to initiation and completion of self-care operations Ability to control the position of the body and its parts in the execution of the movements required for the initiation and completion of self-care operations. Ability to reason within a self-care frame of reference Motivation (i.e. goal orientations for self-care that are in accord with its characteristics and its meaning for life, health, and well-being) Ability to make decisions about care of self and to operationalize these decisions Ability to acquire technical knowledge about self-care from authoritative sources, to retain it, and to operationalize it A repertoire of cognitive, perceptual, manipulative, communication, and interpersonal skills adapted to the performance of self-care operations Ability to order discrete self-care actions or action systems into relationship with prior and subsequent actions toward the final achievement of regulatory goals of self-care Ability to consistently perform self-care operations, integrating them with relevant aspects of personal, family, and community living.

[Table adapted from Nursing Development Conference Group (1979), Concept Formalization in Nursing: Process and Product (2nd Ed). D.E.Orem, Editor. Boston: Little Brown, 195-196.]