Online Companion: Fundamentals of Nursing Standards and Practice 2E
Frequently Asked
Questions
How do nurses use theory in nursing practice?
Nurses have been using theories from other disciplines for a long time. Erikson's
Theory of Human Development is a common example. More recently, nursing theories
have been developed to organize the tremendous volume of new information being
generated. A theory is an organizing framework for "thinking nursing"
in patient care situations. A theory assists the nurse to explain, describe
or predict patient care events and assists in communicating these events clearly.
Without a theory in practice, nursing can become a task-oriented process.
If a theory explains
nursing situations, why are there so many different theories about nursing?
Nursing is distinguished from other disciplines such as medicine or psychology
in that their identified concerns are different. The metaparadigm elements of
nursing are person, environment, health and nursing.(Fawcett, 1984) These elements
are interpreted in a unique manner by each nursing theorist. Peplau focused
on the stages of the nurse-patient relationship to form her theory while giving
little attention to the other two elements. Roy emphasized the ability of the
person to adapt as a major element in her theoretical model. She specified and
classified environmental stimuli that affect the person. In her theory, the
goal of nursing is to promote adaptation by manipulating these stimuli. Recently,
nurse theorists are suggesting changes to the long-used metaparadigm elements.
Watson developed the Theory of Human Caring in which caring is the central focus
of nursing. Specific theories may be more appropriate for certain clinical situations
than others. Different theories offer the nurse the ability to select a theory
for use in practice that is congruent with the nurse's own beliefs and values.
How is nursing research
related to nursing theory?
New information about health care is constantly being revealed. Nursing research
is expanding the knowledge base for nursing practice. Research findings test
the validity of exisiting theories or generate new theories. Nursing practice
situations provide the questions and problems that a theory is designed to answer
or solve. The "truth" or helpfulness of the theory in doing so is
tested and validated through research. These three processes are interrelated
in the process of knowledge development in nursing.
|
