The Importance Of Nursing Theory

Theory is an arrangement of thoughts meant to describe something. These thoughts and ideas usually have basic principles that validate the purpose of the proposed theory. Nursing theory is a well thought out scholarly structure of concepts. These concepts are created to help guide nursing practice. They explain the fundamentals of nursing care. Multiple clinical decisions are based upon nursing theories. There are many different types of nursing theories developed primarily by nurses. Nursing theorist’s main goal is to examine nursing practice and explain the working or non-working parts

nurse staffing ensures quality nursing care for patients and can be a challenge for nurse

The nursing profession entails core values and commonalities that link those in the profession. A comprehensive study of the literature identifies key components of the profession as the provision of technical care, defending the vulnerable, taking care of the ill, as well as establishing systems for the delivery of care. Different models have been developed which describes and guides the nursing profession. The two nursing theories: the Theory of Nursing as Caring by Boykin and Schoenhofer and the Transition Theory of Afaf Ibrahim Meleis are constructive theories and serviceable in the nursing field. This paper gives an analysis of two nursing theories, comparing and contrasting their values.

In 2000 words discuss why having an understanding of learning theory and learning style is important for your career in nursing?

Nursing theorist, Hildegard Peplau knew that in order to care for patients, the nurse must establish a strong relationship with the patient. This is an essential element in being able to provide adequate planning, diagnosing, and successfully treating patients. Personally, my desire to learn more about Peplau’s theory is because it is a very significant quality to have as a nurse. Nursing is a very interpersonal career, and by forming trusting relationships with patients early in one’s nursing practice, I can provide the best care possible to meet psychosocial needs as well as treat the present illness. The benefits that creating interpersonal relationships can have on the patients’ health condition and their planned outcomes, is also a very interesting area of focus. Many nursing students today did not understand the importance of Peplau’s theory. They choose a career in nursing because of the finical stability and wide range of options that the career offers. Overall, one cannot forget that nursing is patient centered care.

The metaparadigm of nursing consists of four parts comprised by Jacqueline Fawcett, in 1984, in her seminal work (Alligood, 2014). The metaparadigm she developed served to provide direction and guidance for the nursing framework already in use and became an organization tool for theories already in use (Alligood, 2014). The four parts being person, health, environment, and nursing. The four components of the metaparadigm concept of nursing is important to nursing theory because they are the key areas of focus of patient care, and the metaparadigm is designed to differentiate nursing from other specialties (Alligood, 2014). It is this use of theories that makes nursing a profession and guides professional nursing practice, research, and education (Alligood, 2014).

Since I have been a nurse I never really gave much thought about any of the theories I learned in nursing school, I guess I was just so happy to finish. However, as years have expired and find myself back in school furthering my education, now I recall the importance of nursing theories. As many people or should I say nurses frequently tend to define various words through their experiences. So for the lack of cohesiveness, according to Parker & Smith (2010), a ‘theory is a frame of reference on how individuals view reality.’ A more formal definition states that a ‘theory is a group of interrelated concepts, assumptions, and propositions that explains or guides the actions of nurses in their profession (CNN, week2). The theorist I chose to discuss is Betty Neuman’s Systems Model and how her model relates to nursing.

Consequently, one nursing theory does not fit every individual’s need. However, while nursing theories encompass many different beliefs, policies, and procedures, nurses can choose from many theories and can utilize some, all, or none of the concepts of each theory.

The nursing profession has progressed greatly since it roots with Florence Nightingale, moving from reliance upon total medical direction for providing basic care and “the first duty of the nurse it that of obedience-absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent, you have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received” (Jennifer C. Telford), into an autonomous practice with its own nursing theory practices, models, and interventions.

The activities include physical and occupational therapy, nutrition counseling, and case management ("Community Health Nursing," 2013).

In the profession of Nursing, we are faced with different challenges daily. Some of the most common problem that we faced today are patient workloads, unit dynamics, new interns, difficult family members, and patient safety. I believe the most significant difficulty nurses faces today is the nurse-patient ratio. In New York, we currently do not have a legislation that sets the number of patients assigned to a nurse. The ratio is set by the administrators and nursing managers of different units. In California on the other hand; legislation has been passed in 1999 and revised on 2008 that sets the cap of nurse-patient ratio in a Medical Surgical Floor at 1:5 (Kasprak, 2004). Currently in my unit, the nurse-patient ration ranges between 1:6 to 1:8, ratios that render care that is not safe for the patient and nurses; which can result to negative patient outcomes. Meeting the needs of each patient in a 1:6 ratio is both difficult and unfair for the patient, it makes me feel that I am ignoring patients need. The Transitions Theory by Afaf Meleis which is a middle range theory and Human Needs Theory by Abraham Maslow a which is a Humanistic Theory both supports the need for regulation of Nurse-Patient ratio in New York.

Nursing theories are important for nurses for our daily work as it provides us with an all-inclusive foundation to clarify and foresee issues that impact nursing care. In nursing, caring should be placed high on our priority list for our nursing practice. As nurses we must develop knowledge on research outcomes for the foundation of nursing practice. Consequently the grown and the certification of nursing theory will aid in the establishment of nursing practice. It is a source of specific individuality as it guides nursing education, research, practice, and distinguishes nursing practice from other disciplines.

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

Nursing theories are the support of nursing practice today. They are significant to nursing practice, education and scientific research because they help to determine, what is already known, and what additional knowledge and skills are needed. Nurses are usually first exposed to nursing theories during nursing education and further exposure comes from hands on training. The gained knowledge, about nursing theories, through education and training enhances better outcomes for patients and caregivers, allows application of professional boundaries, and assists in decision making. In this paper I will attempt to analyze, in general, the importance of nursing theory to the nursing profession; discuss middle-range theory, furthermore Benner’s

* Stimuli from the internal and external environments act as input to the nervous system and they influence the fluid, electrolyte and the acid base balance apart from the endocrine system. This information upon being automatically channelled in an appropriate manner produces an automatic, unconscious response (Roussel, n.d.).