Running head: 21ST CENTURY HEALTHCARE AND NURSING THEORY 21st Century Healthcare and Nursing Theory Tiffany Pruett Maryville University 21st Century Healthcare and Nursing Theory Health Care of the Not So Distant Past What comes to mind when you think of at the average United States hospital room? White walls, squeaky green but easy to clean linoleum flooring, frightening medical equipment, a tiny television, and one small chair for visitors are often some of the items that come to mind. Patients are placed in an environment with an institutional feel and little emphasis on aesthetics and are expected to heal, recover and rehabilitate as quickly as possible. The measure of success for healthcare organizations had a primary …show more content…
128) For the purpose of discussing models of nursing theory in healthcare we will limit the above definition from “trained and licensed professionals” to “nursing professionals.” What then is a clinical nurse? By definition, a nurse is an individual working with the purpose of protecting and promoting the health of the individual for which they are caring. This includes prevention of illness, alleviation of suffering and the advocacy of care. (Nursing World, 2014) The role of a professional nurse in the healthcare setting then is to uphold and reestablish the health of the patient through healing, therapy and disease prevention. Research has demonstrated that nursing practice guided by theory from a perspective of nursing and caring has shown “improved patient and nurse satisfaction, and improvement in institutional reputation.” (Dyess et al., 2013, p. 167) Nursing theories specifically are created and shaped to describe this phenomenon called nursing. Afaf Meleis defines nursing theory as “a conceptualization of some aspect of nursing reality communicated for the purpose of describing phenomena, explaining relationships between phenomena, predicting consequences, or prescribing nursing care.” (Meleis, 2012, chap. …show more content…
This type of theory is more concrete in nature. They are developed with the purpose to explain, predict and answer questions in regards to nursing. The concepts addressed often times bleed over from one field of nursing into another. (Meleis, 2012, chap. 3) I would contend that the middle-range theories of nursing are most applicable to the clinical nurse’s role in today’s healthcare system. The driving force behind healthcare reform and best-care practices is evidenced-based research. Middle-range theories by design less abstract than the grand theories and are more easily tested and observed in the clinical setting. These types of theories are more easily implemented in practice as well. This particular type of nursing theory can be effortlessly applicable to many facets and specialities of
Sieloff, C. L., & Raph, S. W. (2011). Nursing theory and management. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(8), 979-980. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2011.01334.x
Define Nursing Nursing is a knowledge-based profession within the health care sector that focuses on the overall care of individuals. According to The American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP), “defines nurse practitioners as registered nurses who have received graduate-level nursing education and clinical training, which enables them to provide a wide range of preventative and acute health care services to individuals of all ages. They deliver high-quality, cost effective care, often performing physical examinations, ordering tests, making diagnoses, and prescribing and managing medication and therapies”. Nurse Practitioners are able to specialize in a particular area, such as family and adult practice, pediatrics, and women’s health; and refer patients to other specialists when necessary. Some nurse practitioners work under the supervision of a physician while others run their own practices.
The role of the nurse as a care provider is aimed at supporting the individual in maintaining their health and help to increase and reach the maximum health potential.
Walker, L.O., & Avant, K.C. (2005). Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Does the theory have broad application or is the application only confined within a narrow focus? This theory can be applied to all areas of nursing because all patients experience a form of uncertainty when health is not
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. C. (2010). Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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
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).