A nursing theory is a set of concepts and principles that define the nursing profession as a whole. Nursing theories are designed to enhance the students understanding of values, and principles within the profession (Iskandrani, Al Hammadi, & Gizani, 2012). Nursing theories are used to generate nursing knowledge and promote growth. A common nursing theory related to the nursing practice is the novice to expert theory.
The novice to expert theory is founded by Dr. Patricia Benner. Dr. Benner developed stages for clinical competence and wrote them in her book “From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice”. This model theory is most useful in frameworks in assessing a nurse’s need during periods of professional growth.
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The master’s level graduate has the ability to provide clinical care that focuses on the patient health. Master’s prepared graduates also have the knowledge and skills to educate, and professionally develop other nurses in the clinical and academic setting as well. Nursing theory contributes to nursing research which then develops evidence based practices that are used throughout the field. The master’s prepared programs incorporates a variety of theories that are relevant to the field of the nursing. Without theory, the knowledge of a nurse would never grow. According to the American Association Colleges of Nursing, master’s level course work must incorporate theory because the understanding of the healthcare delivery system in which the master’s level nurse practices is used through the guidance of appropriate nursing theories (Gaskell, Beaton, & Neville, …show more content…
Nursing theory is most useful in nursing research. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is commonly used across the nursing profession, education and science. It works to improve the healthcare system to create a more effective, safe and efficient environment (Stevens, 2013). Nursing theory and Evidence- based practices run hand and hand because model and theory development is supported through nursing research and development. Nursing research contributes to the clinical and profession practice to improve patient care, and patient outcomes. Nursing theory is used to create a unique atmosphere for the nursing profession. Nursing theory separates the nursing profession from other healthcare professions because patient safety and quality improvements are always being used and studied in the profession. Unlike other healthcare professions, a registered nurse provides a complex of care for the patient. The registered nurse spends more time at the bedside than any other healthcare profession. Nursing is also a growing profession which makes it different from other healthcare
Based on this theory, it is focuses on individuals who are in poor health and under the physician’s care. She believes that major concern in nursing is resolving individual’s need for help by using an interactive discipline process that is gained through training. Orlando (1990) observed that her interpretation of nursing process is wider than the one usually advocated in undergraduate nursing curriculum. This theory give large impact on nursing education in North America and globally, although the emphasis on the process itself may have detracted from wider intent of theory to improve the interaction between client and nurses. She defines the actual role of nurses is to perceive the client as an individual. Nursing students are unaware that original intent of Orlando’s theory was to provide a theory of efficient practice and not an instrument to guide the nurse’s
Walker, L.O., & Avant, K.C. (2005). Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (1995). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (3rd ed.). Norwalk, CT:
Incorporating these theories into the everyday practice of nurses has developed a stronger and more advanced nursing discipline. The knowledge that the theorists shared strengthens the fundamentals of nursing concepts, values and beliefs that is being taught to each and every nursing generation to come. As a nurse, and someone who has sustained sleepless nights providing bedside care to the weak, frail and dying, practicing nursing through the components of nursing models in order reach an over all goal has been my struggle. Without theories, nursing would not be as advanced as it is scientifically, which would not benefit the
Walker, L.O., & Avant, K. (2005). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Gardener, A., Hase, S., Gardner, G., Dunn, S. V., & Carryer, J. (2007). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'. From competence to capability: a study of nurse practitioners in clinical practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 250-258. doi: 10.111/j.1365-2702.2006.01880.x.
Nursing theories developed by scientists provide a framework for the process of establishing nursing as a profession with a specific body of knowledge including nursing language, and nurse is able to communicate inside in and outside of the profession. Theory supports and defines nursing practice and is used in practice situation to provide solution to the problem, provides guidelines in patient’s quality care, and helps to resolve nursing challenges. The benefits of middle-range theories found primarily in the research studies to address particular client population, in education, patient
To conclude Evidence Based Practice is a process of building up accurate information from medical research which has been correlated and assessed. From this the nurse is capable of advising the best plan of care. For nursing standards to improve it is vitality important that the nurse is given the time to research and the trust to start off the process of change for better care.
Nursing theory can be applied to resolve nursing problems or issues, irrespective of the field of practice. A nursing theory benefits nurses and the patients that are in his or her charge. . Depending on the issue or problem that is needed to be solved determines what theory needs to be used. Nursing theory started with Florence Nightingale. She believed that a clean environment would promote better health. Virginia Henderson’s need theory emphasizes the need to ensure that the patient’s independence is being increased while in a health care facility. Ensuring that a patient can increase his or her independence allows for them to experience better outcomes upon discharge home. This is just two examples of nursing theories that were used
The nursing profession is considered both an art and a science. An example of the science of nursing is the theory and evidence based practice guidelines (EBP), which influence a nurses practice. The art of nursing is fluid of bringing science and patient care into nursing practice. Nurses in all levels of nursing educational programs should study nursing theory. According to Eun-Ok (2015) theory evaluation has declined and it is essential to developing nursing knowledge; which, leads to the development of nursing discipline. Nursing theory should be continually evolving as current health care trends evolve. The best way to accomplish this is through incorporating theory in academia and nursing
Walker, L. O. & Avant, K. C. (2011). Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Parker M. E., & Smith M. C. (2010). Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed.).
Theory’s responsibility is to provide nurses with standards that reinforce practice, as well as, for future nursing understanding and delivery. Basically, it provides nursing professionals with a tested way of thought on how to handle certain situations with proven results. The importance of nursing theories to nursing research is the knowledge offered gives nurses the foundation for communicating with others and best practice. Middle range theory according to McEwen & Wills (2011, p 35) are theories that have concrete concepts, that are specific, incorporate a measured number of concepts and characteristics of the real world and are tested for accuracy.
To make good nursing decisions, nurses require an internal roadmap with knowledge of nursing theories. Nursing theories, models, and frameworks play a significant role in nursing, and they are created to focus on meeting the client’s needs for nursing care. According to McEwen and Wills (2014), conceptual models and theories could create mechanisms, guide nurses to communicate better, and provide a “systematic means of collecting data to describe, explain, and predict” about nursing and its practice (p. 25). Most of the theories have some common concepts; others may differ from one theory to other. This paper will evaluate two nursing theorists’ main theories include Sister Callista Roy’s
Nursing theories are actions care that a nurse provides to a patient to prevent a sickness, maintain and promote health. Many of the theorists contribute to a frame work or a blueprint of how nurses should provide care to patients. Many these theories are part of nursing care and most of them they go hand in hand. Nursing theory aims to describe, predict and explain the phenomenon of nursing (Chinn and Jacobs1978).Nursing is apprehensive with laws and principles governing the life processes and functioning of sick or well human beings. Nursing theories are beneficial in understanding the knowledge of nursing and its application (Smith and Liehr, 2008).