Analysis Of Four Major Nursing Theories

For centuries the development of nursing knowledge has been influenced by numerous theorists and their respective theories. These theories have influenced, and continue to influence, nursing education, practice and research. (Johnson & Webber, 2005)

The caring, supportive, sympathetic features of nursing, is immeasurable. Theories are essential to have. They provide a description of what nurses do and give meaning and purpose. When nursing theories are developed this new knowledge can greatly impact the future of nursing practice (McCrae, 2012).

Nursing theories have been a fundamental tool used to explain, guide and improve the practice of nursing. Theorists have contributed enormously to the growth of nursing as a profession. The four grand theorists I chose are Virginia Henderson, Peplau, Myra Levine and Jean Watson. These theorists have contributed tremendously in the field of nursing through their theories, and research. One thing the theorists have in common is that they are patient centered. They are all concerned on ways we can improve our responsibility to the patients, their families and the environment. They have different ideas but they are all aiming towards achieving the same goal, which is patient satisfaction and safety. Their differences are in their areas of

The profession of nursing has, in recent years, been trying to further develop, test and use proposed nursing theory. To utilize theory appropriately, in all domains of practice, education and research, it is important to know how to describe, analyze and evaluate

quality of patient care, and can be implemented in practice, to provide solutions to nursing

The purpose of the nursing theories is to provide an interrelating framework focusing on the nursing practice. The defined nursing theories promote better patient care, improve the status of nursing profession, and improve the communication between the nurses, and provide guidance to the researches and education (Keefe, 2011). Not all nursing theories have the same meanings; however, they play the important role of explaining the key concepts and principles of nursing practice in understanding way.

Nursing was, for my sixteen year old self, taking care of the sick. Little did I know the complexities of that definition. Still, taking care of the sick was interesting enough to make nursing my major. I started practicing nursing years ago. However, I still struggle defining and explaining my profession to others. I usually start by differentiating nursing from medicine. Nurses see patients as humans rather than a disease that needs treatment (Zaccagnini & White, 2014, p. 15). However, as I advance my career, I must actively incorporate nursing theory into my practice. Nursing theory gives a foundation to understand patients and their health problems better. The use of nursing theory provides a framework to evaluate nurses’ interventions on a higher standard (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). Kenney described five steps to follow once the decision to include nursing theory has being made. This paper will explore the process of applying the Kenney’s five steps into my practice.

Nursing theory is vital to the nursing profession because it provides a foundation and framework which is reflected in nurses’ caring ideals and practice (William, 2015). Theory provides an understanding of a nurse’s role within the healthcare system. The first nursing theory, formed by Nightingale, was observations of interventions that improved patient outcomes (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). Nurses can improve quality of care by implementing theory into their practice (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). This paper will discuss the importance of nursing theory, Florence Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not, and the application of this theory in the nurse

The importance of nursing theory to practice of nursing should not be overlooked or underrated. That is because, it’s understanding and application are essential in enhancing patient 's care, improving communication between nurses, providing education’ and guidance in research, (Robert T. Croyle (2005). It is equally important to know that currently, there are many theories that guide the practice of nursing. Two of the most prominent ones will be compared and will form the subject of this this discussion.

Developing a nursing philosophy is important to a nurse as it serves as a guide and is the foundation for personal nursing practice. Following a personal nursing philosophy can enhance your nursing career, make you a better nurse and improve patient outcomes. However, it is difficult to choose one nursing theorist, as there are viewpoints from several theorists that align with my personal theories. Choosing one theory is not only difficult, it is possible to change a theory during your nursing career or draw from various theories while working with patients and their families depending on the situation. Consequently, nurses are taught the foundation of multiple theorist and there does not seem to be one correct model. It is a matter of finding one that fits your

Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed

“Nursing theory aims to describe, predict and explain the phenomenon of nursing” (Colley, 2003, p. 33); therefore, nursing theory is the scaffolding on which nurses stand to build and remodel nursing practice. This is a symbiotic relationship because nursing theory builds the nursing practice and as practice expands the scaffolding must, in turn, grow as well. As such, the investigation into practice and research keep informing the practice and profession of nursing. Ultimately this leads to more effective patient care utilizing evidenced-based

The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction, purpose, and rational for selecting a nursing theory. I will describe the theory by identifying the purpose, concepts/definitions, relationships/structure, and assumptions. I will use the Chinn & Kramer evaluation criteria to critique this chosen theory. Finally I will describe a plan for implementing the theory into my practice setting, identifying any barriers and challenges.

Given that nursing is a hands-on, professional 'practice,' to speak of nursing 'in theory' may at first seem like a contradiction in terms. However, nursing theory is an important tool, offering the practitioner in the field a way to better make decisions. Theory acts as a guide to practice. Of course, in nursing, theory is never subsumed to the specifics of a case. Unlike philosophy or literary theory, no theory can stand apart from the realities of the need to treat a patient effectively. But nursing theory can be helpful in dealing with unexpected situations. Nursing theories consist of "concepts, definitions, models, propositions and are based on assumptions" of deductive and inductive logic (Nursing theories: An overview, 2012, Nursing Theories).

Nursing theories, concepts or models are adapted from the theoretical frameworks of other discipline in healthcare. However, as nursing advances, new frameworks may arise, the nursing theories, concepts or models from the past or present may fuse, extinct or change donaldson (year). Hence, nursing is a discipline which is consistently reviewing and upgrading its theoretical frame works to provide the best quality of care to patients. (https://www.jacksonvilleu.com/blog/nursing/the-importance-of-nursing-research/)