Introduction
The essence of King’s Goal Attainment Theory is that the nurse and the patient come together, communicate, and make transactions – they set goals and work to achieve the goals they set. They each have a purpose, they perceive, judge, act and react upon each other. At the end of their communication, a goal will be set with transactions made. King believed that the goal of nursing “is to help individuals maintain their health so they can function in their roles” (King, 1981), transactions occur to set goals related to the health of the patient.
Concepts
- Transactions provide a frame of reference toward goal setting.
- Major concepts (interaction, perception, communication, transaction, role, stress, growth and development).
- Perceptions, Judgments, and actions of the patient and the nurse lead to a reaction, interaction, and transaction (the process of nursing).
Strengths
- King’s theory offers insight into nurses’ interactions with individuals and groups within the environment.
- It highlights the importance of the client’s participation in a decision that influences care and focuses on both the process of nurse-client interaction and the outcomes of care.
- Focuses on a process to aid nurses in the nurse-patient relationship, helping their patients meet the goals they set for their health.
Weaknesses
- Theory of Goal Attainment has been criticized for having limited application in areas of nursing in which patients are unable to interact competently with the nurse. King maintained the broad use of the theory in most nursing situations.
- Another limitation relates to the lack of development of the application of the theory in providing nursing care to groups, families, or communities.
- King’s theory also contains some inconsistencies: (1) She indicates that nurses are concerned about the health care of groups but concentrates her discussion on nursing as occurring in a dyadic relationship. (2) King says that the nurse and client are strangers, yet she speaks of their working together for goal attainment and of the importance of health maintenance.
Additional Information & References
- Application of Goal Attainment Theory by Current Nursing
- An Outline of King’s Theory by Nurse Labs
- Biography and Information about the Goal Attainment Theory & Imogene King
- Imogene M. King Nursing Building a nurse-patient relationship by Working Nurse
- Interesting Facts of Imogene King
- Nurse–patient relationship based on King’s Theory of Goal Attainment by Research Gate
- Philosophical Background of the Goal Attainment Theory
