A theoretical approach to nursing assessment.

Nurses use theory to sharpen their observations and to facilitate their understanding of the human responses to which they direct their interventions. An assessment tool, derived from the nursing theory 'modelling and role-modelling', was developed by nurses at the University of Michigan Hospitals. This tool appears to elicit the data necessary to assess and diagnose the health status of clients. This article describes the assessment tool, why it was developed, the objectives in utilization of the tool and suggestions for implementation.