How the Human Becoming Theory Defines the Person as an Open Being—More Than the Sum of the Parts

Outline (quick guide to the flow)

• Opening thought: How we define a person in nursing theory sets the tone for care.

• What the Human Becoming approach says: a person is an open being, more than the sum of parts.

• Why that matters: care becomes about meaning, lived experience, and ongoing growth.

• What this looks like in real life: simple, compassionate approaches to conversations, assessments, and relationships.

• A few practical takeaways for caregivers and students: questions to ask, moments to notice, and the rhythm of care.

• Closing: embracing the evolving story of a person helps us care with heart and sense.

Let me explain the idea in plain terms as we go. In nursing education, you’ll hear a lot about theories that guide how we see patients. The Human Becoming theory, developed by Rosemarie Parse, invites us to see people not as rigid binaries—biological versus psychological—but as living, unfolding stories. And yes, that changes everything about how we relate to patients, families, and communities.

What the Human Becoming view actually says

The core question of this framework is simple but powerful: who is the person? The answer Parse offers is a clear one: a person is an open being, more than, and different than the sum of parts. In other words, a person isn’t just biology plus mind; the whole person is a dynamic process shaped by choices, relationships, and the world around them.

Here’s the thing: many traditional lenses tend to break people down into components. You might hear, “This is a patient with X symptoms,” or “Her mood reveals Y.” The Human Becoming lens says, yes, those pieces matter, but they don’t define the whole person. A person is constantly becoming—their identity shifts with experiences, conversations, and meaning they attach to what’s happening in their lives. It’s not that biology or psychology aren’t important; it’s that they’re parts of a larger, living whole.

Why “open being” matters in care

If a person is an open being, more than the sum of parts, then care shifts from fixing a problem to honoring a lived story. It’s less about checking a box of symptoms and more about listening for what matters to the person in their particular moment. This is you recognizing that illness, recovery, joy, and fatigue all ripple through a life that’s experienced in relation to others—family, coworkers, neighbors, and even the hospital room itself.

This perspective also highlights a basic truth we often feel but don’t always name: people aren’t finished changing just because they’re in a certain state right now. A patient today may have different needs tomorrow, and those needs are colored by history, culture, spirituality, daily routines, and future hopes. In the Human Becoming view, care aims to support the person’s ongoing becoming, rather than pin them down to a single diagnosis or a single moment.

And that matters when you’re building trust. People don’t just want to be treated; they want to be understood as whole beings who choose how to respond to life’s situations. When nurses tune in to that, care becomes a dialogue rather than a one-way act. The patient isn’t just someone who receives care—we start to see them as a partner in their own journey.

What does this look like in everyday nursing moments?

Let’s bring this home with some practical thoughts. You won’t find rigid formulas here; you’ll find ways to notice, listen, and respond that fit the person in front of you.

• Start with meaning, not just symptoms. A question like, “What matters most to you right now?” invites a person to share their priorities, fears, and hopes. The answer isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a compass that guides every interaction, from what to address first to how to pace the day.

• See relationships as part of healing. The people around a patient—the family, friends, or even the healthcare team—shape the experience of illness. Acknowledging those connections, asking about support networks, and inviting family into conversations when appropriate can strengthen the person’s meaning and resilience.

• Notice the environment’s influence. The ward, the sounds, the rhythm of shifts, even the color of the room—these all matter. The environment isn’t a backdrop; it’s part of the experience that the person interprets and learns from.

• Embrace the patient’s humanness, including ambiguity. Some days you’ll see clear progress, other days you’ll see hesitation or uncertainty. The theory encourages us to hold both clarity and ambiguity with equal respect, allowing space for choices and reflection.

• Build a rhythm of care that honors becoming. Instead of rushing to a “solution,” pace the care in ways that support the person’s sense of control. Shared decision-making, when possible, reaffirms the person’s agency and dignity.

A friendly analogy to keep in mind

Think of a person as a thread in a tapestry that’s always being woven. The fabric is alive, shifting with every new thread added—an experience, a relationship, a moment of meaning. You can examine the thread’s color or texture in isolation, but the true beauty comes when you stand back and see the whole pattern unfold. The Human Becoming idea nudges us to step back, look at the bigger pattern, and ask: what story is this person writing with the choices they make here and now?

A few questions that often guide this approach

• What matters most to you in this moment?

• How would you describe your situation to someone you trust?

• Who is important to you, and how can we support those relationships?

• What goals would you like to pursue today, given what’s possible right now?

• What in your environment helps you feel safe and capable?

If you use these prompts in conversation, you’re not just gathering data; you’re co-authoring a personal narrative with the patient. And that’s at the heart of the open-being concept.

Common misconceptions, cleared up

One worry people express is that this approach romanticizes illness or places blame on the patient for their circumstances. That isn’t it. The Human Becoming view simply recognizes that people are more than their diagnoses. It doesn’t ignore biology or psychology; it reframes them as part of a living, evolving story. Another concern is that this sounds abstract and hard to apply. In reality, the daily habit of listening, asking open-ended questions, and respecting a person’s choices is where the theory becomes practical.

Real-life flavor: a quick vignette

Imagine a patient named Ana who’s dealing with a chronic condition. Ana wears a bright scarf because it reminds her of a grandmother who supported her when she was a child. In one conversation, Ana shares that staying connected with a group of friends gives her energy, even on rough days. The nurse doesn’t just record a vital sign; they ask about Ana’s days, her routines, and how the scarf makes her feel. They adjust the plan to include a weekly call with a friend and a simple at-home activity Ana enjoys. Suddenly, care isn’t just about managing a condition—it’s about supporting Ana’s ongoing becoming, honoring what gives her life meaning, and reinforcing her sense of agency.

Where this fits in the broader landscape of nursing theory

You’ll hear a chorus of theories in nursing: some emphasize diagnosing, some stress patient safety, others highlight autonomy. The Human Becoming perspective complements these by insisting that people are whole, evolving beings whose choices carry weight. It’s not a competing claim; it’s a reminder that the human story is lived experience—the texture of daily life that shapes and is shaped by care.

A few takeaways for learners and professionals

• The person is an open being, more than the sum of parts. That line isn’t just philosophy; it’s a practical orientation for every shift.

• Meaning matters. When you ask about what matters most, you invite a response that can redefine priorities for care.

• Relationships and environment count. Caring well means paying attention to how people relate to others and to their surroundings.

• Be comfortable with complexity. You won’t always have a neat solution, and that’s okay. The goal is to support the person’s ongoing becoming.

In the end, the value of the Human Becoming approach isn’t in lofty words alone but in how it invites genuine connection. It nudges us to slow down enough to hear a patient’s story, to respect the choices they make, and to see care as a collaborative journey rather than a one-way act. If you picture care as a shared dance through life’s moments, you’ll feel the rhythm of this theory in your day-to-day work.

A closing reflection

So, what does this mean when you step into a patient’s room? It means you listen for the meaning they’re weaving, you honor their autonomy, and you recognize that health is part of a larger, evolving life story. The person is an open being, more than, and different from the sum of parts. It’s a standpoint that invites tenderness, curiosity, and a willingness to walk alongside people as they continue becoming who they are. And that, honestly, is a pretty powerful way to care.

Quick recap

• Definition from the Human Becoming lens: the person is an open being, more than the sum of parts.

• The focus shifts to meaning, relationships, and environment.

• Practical care centers on questions that honor choice, encourage dialogue, and support ongoing becoming.

• The approach enriches everyday nursing with deeper human connection, turning care into a collaborative, evolving journey.