Theory-Based Practice Nursing was, for my sixteen year old self, taking care of the sick. Little did I know the complexities of that definition. Still, taking care of the sick was interesting enough to make nursing my major. I started practicing nursing years ago. However, I still struggle defining and explaining my profession to others. I usually start by differentiating nursing from medicine. Nurses see patients as humans rather than a disease that needs treatment (Zaccagnini & White, 2014, p. 15). However, as I advance my career, I must actively incorporate nursing theory into my practice. Nursing theory gives a foundation to understand patients and their health problems better. The use of nursing theory provides a framework to evaluate nurses’ interventions on a higher standard (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). Kenney described five steps to follow once the decision to include nursing theory has being made. This paper will explore the process of applying the Kenney’s five steps into my practice. As I advance my career to the doctoral level, nursing theory should define my practice. Nursing theories help professional nurses to create a unique plan of care to address unique patients’ needs. Zaccagnini and White (2014) describe five steps given by Kenney as follows: 1. Consider your personal values and beliefs about nursing, clients, health, and environment. 2. Examine the underlying assumptions, values, and beliefs of various nursing models, and how the major concepts, are
designed to guide the practice of nursing” (Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing, 2012). Nursing theories can help patients, managers and other healthcare professionals to recognize what and how much that nurses do contribute to the healthcare field. I never did realize how important theories in nursing practice could be until I became a nursing student myself. Nurses use theories in their everyday practice, but never think about them as being
Nursing theories have been a fundamental tool used to explain, guide and improve the practice of nursing. Theorists have contributed enormously to the growth of nursing as a profession. The four grand theorists I chose are Virginia Henderson, Peplau, Myra Levine and Jean Watson. These theorists have contributed tremendously in the field of nursing through their theories, and research. One thing the theorists have in common is that they are patient centered. They are all concerned on ways we can improve our responsibility to the patients, their families and the environment. They have different ideas but they are all aiming towards achieving the same goal, which is patient satisfaction and safety. Their differences are in their areas of
The profession of nursing has, in recent years, been trying to further develop, test and use proposed nursing theory. To utilize theory appropriately, in all domains of practice, education and research, it is important to know how to describe, analyze and evaluate
“Theory-based nursing practice has demonstrated a capacity to structure professional care, unify and simplify communication, save time, clarify decision-making, and reduce nurse staff turnover saving thousands of dollars” (Alligood, 2011, p. 982). Although theory is present in my workplace, it is rarely discussed. This is a shame because it is apparent that theory is essential to the nursing profession and should be at the forefront. Nursing theory helps define and verify
To demonstrate understanding of how theories relate to and inform nursing is part of what it means to be an Advanced Practice Nurse. Analysis of how nursing theories inform one’s own practice is not only a way to identify responsibilities and opportunities as a nursing leader, it is also a means to build disciplinary knowledge. As Chinn and Kramer explain, “Once nursing practice is described, it is made visible… [this] imparts value to what has been intangible (2008, p. 23). By describing my personal clinical practice area, and providing an analysis of how nursing presence, interpersonal relations and caring theories can be utilized, I will attempt to accomplish all of the above.
Nursing theory is vital to the nursing profession because it provides a foundation and framework which is reflected in nurses’ caring ideals and practice (William, 2015). Theory provides an understanding of a nurse’s role within the healthcare system. The first nursing theory, formed by Nightingale, was observations of interventions that improved patient outcomes (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). Nurses can improve quality of care by implementing theory into their practice (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). This paper will discuss the importance of nursing theory, Florence Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not, and the application of this theory in the nurse
“ It is important for nurses to study the development of nursing theory because without an idea of where you have been, how can you know how, why, when, or where to go “ (Cherry and Jacob, 2014, p.75). Theory leads to research, research leads to science, science leads to practice, and practice then cycles back to theory. New theory emerging from practice will generate new studies that will, in turn, produce new knowledge for practice. All of this contributes to improving nursing practice.
The nursing field comprises different theories that are used to govern nursing practice through offering different perspectives and views of phenomena. A theory can be defined as the development of a link between concepts that create a certain view of a phenomenon (Jackson, n.d.). The theories in the nursing field focus on issues that are relevant to enhancing patient care, overall nursing practice, and nursing education. Moreover, these theories are used to define, create, and distribute existing knowledge in the profession as part of efforts towards improving nursing practice. The theories in nursing field are classified into different categories i.e. ground nursing theories, nursing practice theories, and mid-range nursing theories. Some examples of these various types of nursing theories include Nola J. Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) and Mid-Range Theory. These theories differ in terms of the theorists’ backgrounds and their experiences, description of theory, assumptions, and application in nursing practice.
“Nursing theory is the term given to the body of knowledge applied to support nursing practice. Nursing theory is a framework designed to organize knowledge and explain phenomena in nursing, at a more concrete and specific level. A nursing theory is a set of concepts, definitions, relationships, and assumptions or propositions derived from nursing models or from other disciplines and project a purposive, systematic view of phenomena by designing specific interrelationships among concepts for the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and prescribing” (“Currentnursing.com”, 2010). Core concepts embody a theory creating the basis for the theory or model. In nursing, concepts help
Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed
Nursing is a practice or field that must be based on nursing theories, which contributes to the consideration of nursing discipline as a profession. The significance of nursing theories in the practice is attributed to their provision of direction and guidance for arranging professional nursing education, research, and practice. Nursing theories also distinguishes the focus of this discipline from other professions since they provide directions regarding evaluation, assessment, and intervention of nursing care. Nursing theories also provide the basis for gathering reliable and valid data about clients’ health status that is crucial for effective decision making and implementation. Notably, these theories are based on certain concepts that are essential for guiding nursing practice. While nursing theorists have developed different theories and models, these theories or models are based on some common core concepts.
Nursing theory, nursing practice and nursing research are all interconnected aspects of nursing. Nursing theory guides nursing research to bring forth the knowledge for evidence-based practice to improve the quality of patient care. Boswell and Cannon explain the relationship between theory, research, and practice as “theory gives direction to research, which in turn guides practice” (2017). According to Cherry and Jacob (2014), “Nursing theories have explained, explored, defined, and delineated specific areas…. to guide nursing actions, interventions, and implementation” (p. 76). Through the development of the theory, knowledge is gained which guide the nursing practice to enhance the quality and outcome of the patient care. Cyntia has made
A theory explain and describe what is observed and why it happen. Theories also answer the “what” question by addressing how and why it happened under what conditions. A theory is a structured, clear, empirical and systematic set of statements connected to significant questions which are communicated in a meaningful whole. Theories are used to define observations, precise evidences and propose explanations (Shojania, Mcdonald, & Watcher, 2004). Nursing theories are significant in nursing practice as it increases the nursing knowledge, shape the practice and provide principles to support nursing practice. Nursing theories are used in all aspects of nursing care to establish, comprehend and evaluate patient data. Different levels of nursing theories are present such as metatheory,
Nursing theories form the supportive framework on which our patient care relies on (Alejandro, 2017). It is not only the foundation of the nursing discipline but, it defines of we practice. If nurses lack that foundation, new knowledge development within nursing will decline. They are very important for Masters and advanced practice nursing students who are preparing to
The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction, purpose, and rational for selecting a nursing theory. I will describe the theory by identifying the purpose, concepts/definitions, relationships/structure, and assumptions. I will use the Chinn & Kramer evaluation criteria to critique this chosen theory. Finally I will describe a plan for implementing the theory into my practice setting, identifying any barriers and challenges.