Ethical Case Study for Nursing Roles 1 @ Itt Tech

As McEwen and Willis (2014) emphasize, quality nursing practice is based off of the interconnectedness between research, evidence, and theory. The generation or use of more theories results in more evidence, and vice versa (McEwen & Willis, 2014). Throughout all aspects of life, each person has a way of organizing and understanding concepts and solving problems. The concept of theory used in practice is much like this. It is a specific way to organize thoughts and actions to be able to generate solutions. "It is the basis of who we are as a profession. It is the unique thinking of the nurse about what is happening to the patient in the situation that should guide nurses’ practice" (Karnick, 2016). Why do we do what we do; what motivates

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of my second interview and assessment with an older adult, including a depression assessment, a pain assessment, as well as discussion of the client’s home environment and advanced directives. Finally, I will discuss a teaching topic and a list of interventions that may benefit Mrs. W. As you may recall from the first interview, Mrs. W. is retired, but volunteers at the hospital where I work. Mrs. W. is very knowledgeable about her health, as well as the importance of health promotion.

In the clinical setting students may be exposed to frameworks or models that promote specialized care for aging adults. Nurses Improving Care for HealthSystem Elders (NICHE) model is frequently utilized by hospitals and provides support and resources to improve the outcomes of older adults. Their practice model is guided by evidence-based findings that demonstrate reduced risk for patient decline and health promotion. Although this practice model was instituted for hospital settings, nursing students should who plan to enter this environment should have knowledge of the model prior to their first clinical day. This could be conveyed through lecture and reinforced by clinical facility especially with student who are assigned to hospital sub-acute or transitional rehabilitation

The health care of an older adult extends beyond the traditional medical management of illness. It requires evaluation of multiple issues including physical, cognitive, affective, social, financial, environmental, and spiritual components (Ward & Reuben, 2010). According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), nursing case management is a “health care delivery process whose goals are to provide quality health care, decrease fragmentation and duplication of care, enhance the client’s quality of life, and contain costs” (ANA, 1992).

Nursing theory influences the practice of nursing in a multitude of ways that can have a profound impact. Theory provides a framework to support and define nursing practice, support quality of patient care, and can be implemented in practice situations to provide solutions to nursing practice problems. Applying theory to resolve nursing challenges can be utilized in educational and research settings, direct patient care situations, as well as in administration and management of nursing care services. The benefits of applying theory to address a

Nursing theory, nursing practice and nursing research are all interconnected aspects of nursing. Nursing theory guides nursing research to bring forth the knowledge for evidence-based practice to improve the quality of patient care. Boswell and Cannon explain the relationship between theory, research, and practice as “theory gives direction to research, which in turn guides practice” (2017). According to Cherry and Jacob (2014), “Nursing theories have explained, explored, defined, and delineated specific areas…. to guide nursing actions, interventions, and implementation” (p. 76). Through the development of the theory, knowledge is gained which guide the nursing practice to enhance the quality and outcome of the patient care. Cyntia has made

Nursing theory-based practice can provide knowledge for nursing practice within an organization. It can guide professional practice by providing a systematic approach that is focused on the patient. Theory-based practice can stimulate research and practice, while generating new ideas or concepts that may improve the care given to the patients. According to Ellis in 1968, “it is essential for theory to develop and guide practice…theories should reveal what knowledge nurses must, and should, spend time pursuing” (Alligood, 2014, pg. 11).

The emphasis on developing nursing theories started in the late 1960’s. The nursing profession integrated theories from other disciplines but it was apparent that these borrowed theories lacked the metaparadigm of interest: person, environment, health and nursing. These paradigms are often overlapping and influenced one another. To be a nursing theory it must isolate, explain, and predict a phenomena and take action. Unfortunately, nurses continue to use borrowed theories from other disciplines before proving the empirically adequate descriptions, explanations or predictions of nursing phenomena (Villarruel, Bishop, Simpson, Jemmott, & Fawcett, 2001).

The discussion of the future of nursing theory addresses many different directions of nursing. We as nurses have different views, interests, and concerns about the future of nursing. In this paper, we will discuss the following; what has driven nursing theory development, what will drive future development in nursing theory, and how might nursing practice change as a result of evolving nursing theory?

When I first started this course, I was not aware of the importance of theories in nursing practice. I have questioned myself, is theory is really important in nursing? In the first week, I have learned that theories are important in nursing to improve nursing knowledge and guide the nursing practice. During this week I have also learned about Florence Nightingale’s Environment theory and its impact in nursing practice. Learning about the historical phases of nursing was very motivating as it gave a depth knowledge about the different stages of theory development. The review of the historical phase brought the knowledge that professionalization of the nursing progressed by the development and use of nursing theory. By understanding the foundation and accomplishment of nursing, I was able to set my professional goal.

Nursing theory can be traced back to the days of Florence Nightingale, in a time where conditions in field hospitals were austere at best, and life expectancy was nothing like it is today. Nursing theory is considered the basis for the care that we provide today. As medicine is constantly changing, nursing also follows by evaluating theory and implementing change. What is nursing theory? To me, nursing theory is the researched, proven methods of nursing care that allow for us to provide the best nursing care possible for our patients. Yet, nursing theory isn’t just about nursing. As defined in medical dictionary, theory is defined as beliefs or procedures that support a particular action (Medical Dictionary, 2015). Further, it

Nurses who work in the field of geriatrics, also known as gerontology, focus on caring for older adults. This is a high-demand practice area, because older people are more likely to require health services. Half of all hospital admissions are for patients over age 65, but only 1% of nurses are certified in geriatrics (ExploreHealthCareers.org, 2013). Geriatric nurses are educated to understand and treat the often complex physical and mental health needs of older people. Nurses try to help their patients protect their health and cope with changes in their mental and physical abilities, so older people can stay independent and active as long as possible. Many older people have health conditions that do not require hospitalization, but

Studying nursing theory is important to nursing because it enriches the practice in general. “Theories provide knowledge, enhances nursing’s power; aids deliberate action and provides rationale when challenged, and provides professional autonomy by guiding practice, education, and research” (Ingram, 1991). Nursing theorists have changed the way nursing is viewed. They rescued nursing from a profession of obeying to a profession of autonomous action. Nursing theorists gave staff nurses a voice. Nurses who study theories have the foundation of knowledge to challenge current health-care practices that do not seem safe or efficient. They also hone their critical thinking skills and are better able to analyze

According to Orem, a person is a functional, integrated whole with a motivation to achieve Self-Care (Aggleton and Chalmers 1990). However, when disease or infirmity affects an individual it unbalances this equation, thus making the ability to self-care debatable. Looking at the holistic concept of the human being together with individualistic, goal-directed nursing care through a process approach, allows the consideration of patient education in care planning (Carter 1990). It is important here to consider the fact that not only the patient, but the whole family needs educating. Price (1984) suggests that some individuals need to control their own situation during illness and resent being dependent on others. If education is provided the patient will have a balanced understanding of the situation and will be more motivated to learn to self-care with his/her disabilities.

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/)