Concepts are essential elements in theories that provide ideas for nursing research. The concepts provide knowledge that can be applied to nursing practice, education, and administration. (Parker and Smith 2010). Conceptual analysis provides clarity. Concept analysis methods involve the following steps. Select the concepts, determine the purpose of the analysis, identify all uses, define the attributes, a model case of the concept, the consequences of the concept and define the empirical references of the concept (Walker & Avant 1995) I chose to do a concept analysis on “Taking care of yourself”. The nursing theory that uses this concept is the Orem Nursing Theory. This theory is a grand theory and consists of three interrelated minor theories; self-care, self-care deficit and nursing systems. (Parker and Smith 2010). Orem defines self-care as when an individual initiates and performs activities to maintain life, health, and well-being on their own, and self-care deficit as failure to meet adequate demands in matters of self-care, which include “limitations in knowing, deciding, and producing care for oneself or dependent.” (Parker and Smith, 2010) I would like to explore the concept of self-care to better understand the concept to improve the promotion of self-care among outpatient surgery patients when they return home. Self-care is a concept that has many different meanings for different people in different caregiving situations. By analyzing this concept and how it is used, it will better prepare me to enable patients to be more independent in their home care. Nursing care aimed at returning control to the patient allows the process of self-care and healing to begin. The Orem Model of Self-Care can promote successful practice when...... middle of paper ......P. (2011). Caring for yourself – caring for others – caring for others: the meaning of self-care from research, practice, policy and industry perspectives. International Journal of Evidence-Based Health Care, 9(1), 3 24. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2010.00196. Parker ME and Smith MC (2010). Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Company. Richards, S. (2012). Taking care of yourself: an essential element of nursing care. Practical Nursing, 42(11), 26-30. Richard, A. and Shea, K. (2011). Delineation of self-care and related concepts. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(3), 255-264. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2011.01404. Walker, LO & Avant, KC, 1995, Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing, Appleton & Lange, Norwalk (USA). World Health Organization. 2009. Self-care in primary health care. Report of the Regional Consultation, Bangkok, Thailand