LORI NUFRIO
KEAN UNIVERSITY
Abstract This is a critical analysis paper about the highly acclaimed film Wit. The film is centered on a middle aged professor who has just been diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She agrees to undergo chemotherapy which is still in the experimental stage. During the film the physician’s focus is on research and there is very little consideration for the patient. This paper will discuss the nursing practices and theories that were used by the nurse in the film while caring for this patient at the end of her life. In our changing society nursing theories are an important guide for nurses to utilize in this dynamic field of medicine. Introduction Nurses are trusted to care for people at their most vulnerable moments. In today’s modern healthcare system it is imperative that we utilize nursing theories to provide the best care to clients. Since the time of Florence Nightingale, nurses have been following various nursing theories to provide optimum care to their patients. These theories act as a guide to assist nurses in making changes in health care for the benefit of their patient. Nursing theories can also support professional autonomy and credibility within this field. The nursing theories that we utilize help us to provide the highest level of care to our patients. These nursing theories can also help us to become well rounded as nurses so that we give the most appropriate care to people that need our services. In doing so we assist them to become individuals that can manage their healthcare needs. When individuals are unable to care for themselves, they need to trust that the nurse has the capability to attend to their needs in an effective way. This paper will summarize the film Wit, list the theorists used and explain their concepts. It will analyze how these concepts related to the nursing care provided. The two theorists that this nurse mainly used to care for her