Paper on the Importance of Nursing Theories to Nursing
Paper on the Importance of Nursing Theories to Nursing
Paper on the Importance of Nursing Theories to Nursing
Write a paper in APA format of not more than five pages including the cover and reference pages.
Books Required Perspectives on Nursing Theory, 6th Edition Author: Pamela G. Reed RN PhD FAAN; Dr. Nelma B. Crawford Shearer RN PhD
Theory is defined as “a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action.” Nursing theory is “a creative and rigorous structuring of ideas that project a tentative, purposeful, and systematic view of phenomena”. Nursing theories provide the foundational knowledge that enables nurses to care for their patients and guides their actions. Theories are in place, regardless of nursing specialization, to establish guidelines for both broad and specific nursing practices.
Nursing theories were first identified by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and were rooted in nursing education. Her Environmental Theory stated that nursing “ought to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet, and the proper selection and administration of diet – all at the least expense of vital power to the patient.”
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By identifying potential risk factors for illness or conditions that would exacerbate an illness and potentially lead to death, Nightingale saw the importance of a patient’s environment to their overall health and well-being. As a result, healthcare professionals, including nurses, began to treat patients differently and the start of population health and public health is seen.
In Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory, she identified five environmental factors:
Fresh air
Pure water
Efficient drainage
Cleanliness or sanitation
Light or direct sunlight
These factors were essential to decrease the spread of contagious diseases and decrease mortality and morbidity.
While Florence Nightingale may have introduced the first nursing theory in 1860, it is still extremely relevant today. In countries where fresh air, pure water, efficient drainage, cleanliness or sanitation, and light or direct sunlight are not present, morbidity and mortality is increased.
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What are Nursing Theories Used For?
Nursing theories provide the foundation for nursing practice and are essential to the care of patients. Academic hospitals and Magnet hospitals will consistently ensure that nursing theories are incorporated into their policies and procedures to ensure best-practice is being used.
Most nurses and institutions will employ a variety of nursing theories within their everyday practice versus just one theory. Most do it unknowingly.
Nursing theories help bedside nurses evaluate patient care and base nursing interventions on the evaluation of the findings.
The theories can also provide nurses with the rationale to make certain decisions. An example of a nursing theory in use is seen in the care of a Jehovah’s Witnesses patient that does not believe in blood transfusions. While the patient may need a blood transfusion, Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care theory provides nurses with a solid basis for assisting their patients and giving them the opportunity to express independence and control in caring for themselves. While the nurse may not agree with the patient’s decision to not receive a blood transfusion, Orem’s theory suggests the importance of allowing the patient to make the decision and respecting it as their own choice.
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Oftentimes, the integration of nursing theory is not as obvious as the aforementioned example. However, it is important for nurses and nursing students to understand and respect the importance of nursing theories and their impact on modern-day nursing and healthcare.
Who are Nursing Theories Used By?
While all nurses, regardless of position and specialty, utilize nursing theories in their practice, not all nurses are aware of their implications. Generally speaking, most nursing theories are used by nurse educators and nurse researchers.
Nurse educators will utilize nursing theories in designing course curriculums based on educational principles, research, and theories to provide nursing students with the knowledge and skills needed to provide care to their patients.
Nurse researchers will conduct theory-guided research in order to create best practices and to predict potential clinical problems or explain existing knowledge.
Nursing Metaparadigms
There have been countless nursing theories introduced since Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory, including Imogene King‘s Theory of Goal and Dorothy Johnson’s Behavioral System Model. What they all have in common is they center around the nursing metaparadigm.
A metaparadigm is a set of theories or ideas that provide structure for how a discipline should function. Nursing metaparadigms were first classified by Fawcett into four specific categories,
Person
Environment
Health
Nursing
These four concepts are fundamental to all nursing theories and without identification of them and their relevance to the theory, it is incomplete.
Furthermore, these four basic nursing metaparadigms point to the holistic care of a patient and their medical health is interconnected to the four concepts.
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