Borrowed Theory In Nursing

Learning the history of the nursing knowledge development, gives us an understanding and appreciation of the challenges nursing faced in the past, current nursing practice, and the future of nursing. Chinn and Kramer (2015) concur by stating that, “If nurses do not know their history, they cannot value it; when nurses do not value history, they cannot learn and grow from what it teaches.” (p. 24). Nursing has existed since the beginning of time and continues today. In the beginning, rituals, ceremonies, and charms influenced nursing. During the early time, nuns and monks cared for the sick; while in some societies the sick where cared for by people who were punished, homeless people, prostitutes, and people with drug and alcohol addiction

It is using theory from another discipline to address a phenomenon in the nursing discipline (Meleis, 2012, pg. 131). Chinn and Kramer (2015) stated, “Problems in nursing practice with no apparent ready solution began to be viewed as resolvable if theories, and approaches to theory development from other disciplines were applied” (p. 40). An example of a borrowed theory in nursing is the use of the psychology theory of Maslow hierarchy of needs to assess the stages of growth in people. In day-to-day nursing practice, nurses meet patient’s basic needs before moving to the next level of needs. Example is a nurse would ensure the patient’s respiratory status is secure prior to proceeding to other segments of care including, but not limited to; hygiene, nutrition

Meleis 2012 states that, skeptics in nursing pointed out that theory and the practice of nursing were incompatible. Meleis further explains factors that have contributed to nurses’ resistance to using theory in practice. According to Meleis 2012, one of the resistances is the kind of students choosing nursing. In the past nursing attracted students who wanted care for the sick while, today nursing is attracting different students from the past; older students’ male and female who already have different educational paths and careers and now choosing nursing for its financial