Abdellah, Faye Glenn [b. 1919] , a nursing theorist who introduced a typology of 21 nursing problems in 1960 in Patient-Centered Approaches to Nursing. The concepts of nursing, nursing problems, and the problem-solving process are central to Abdellah’s work. The typology is divided into three areas: (1) the physical, sociological, and emotional needs of the patient; (2) the types of interpersonal relationships between the nurse and the patient; and (3) the common elements of patient care. It was formulated in terms of nursing-centered services that can be used to determine the patient’s needs and to teach and evaluate nursing students. It was based on systematic research studies. The typology provided a scientific body of knowledge unique to nursing, making it possible to move away from a disease-oriented model of educating nurses.
