Nursing Theories and Practice for Nursing Students

What is nursing theory and nursing practice?

Nursing theories are the principles, practices, and fundamentals that form the basis of nursing practice. Nursing theories provide

the framework for nursing roles, responsibilities, and patient care. In essence, nursing theories are used in nursing practice,

research, and nursing policies and development.

Nursing practice, therefore, refers to the application of nursing theories to everyday nursing roles in patient care. Nursing Practice

ranges from assessment, diagnosis, and implementation of patient care including implementation of emotional support and patient

education.

Nursing theories and nursing practice are interdependent as on nursing theories, nursing practice is built. With the theories

providing framework while nursing practice helps improve and refine nursing theories over time, especially with the inclusion of

technology in the new age.

Importance of learning theories in nursing practice

Learning theories are very vital in nursing practice, as they provide a framework on which individuals learn and develop the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are required for effective patient care. Here are some of the key reasons why learning theories

are important in nursing practice:

1. To enhance critical thinking and decision-making: Learning theories such as cognitive, constructivist, and social learning theories help nurses develop critical thinking skills, that are essential for making sound clinical decisions and effectively providing sound patient care.
2. Improving patient outcomes: learning theories help nurses understand how individuals learn, thereby they can develop more effective teaching strategies and patient education materials, which can lead to better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.
3. Enhancing professional development: Nursing as a practice requires ongoing professional development and learning theories can help nurses identify their own learning needs and develop strategies to enhance their knowledge and skills, for professional development and growth.
4. Informing curriculum development: As nurses enhance their professional development, they can use nursing theories to inform the development of nursing education programs, ensuring that they are grounded in evidence-based practices and that students are prepared to provide high-quality patient care.
5. Enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration: The field of nursing is built on collaborative efforts between nursing and other healthcare professionals. Thereby, by understanding and learning nursing theories nurses can communicate more effectively with other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, psychologists, and social workers, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and improved patient outcomes.

How does nursing theory relate to nursing practice?

Nursing theory is a critical component of nursing practice as it provides a framework for understanding the principles and

practices of nursing and guides nurses in providing high-quality care to their patients. Nursing theories also provide nurses

guidelines to understanding the nature of their profession and the role they play in healthcare. It helps nurses to identify the core

principles of nursing, such as caring, empathy, communication, and respect for patient autonomy.

Nursing theories are also essential for nursing practice as they inform the development of effective teaching strategies, promote

critical thinking and decision-making, enhance professional development, inform curriculum development, and promote

interdisciplinary collaboration.

The difference between nursing theory and nursing practice?

Nursing theory is developed through research and provides a way to understand the nature of nursing as a profession, the role of

nurses in healthcare, and the core principles that underlie the evidence-based nursing practice.

Nursing practice on the other hand refers to the actual delivery of healthcare services by nurses to patients. It involves the

application of nursing theory and principles in the care of patients, including assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation,

and evaluation of patient care. Nursing practice also involves the development of therapeutic relationships with patients,

families, and communities, and the promotion of health and wellness across the lifespan.

Both nursing theory and nursing practice are essential components of the nursing profession and work together to promote the

the highest quality of patient care.

How do you overcome theory-practice gap in nursing?

The theory-practice gap in nursing refers to the disconnect between nursing theory and the practical delivery of healthcare

services by nurses. This gap could arise due to a lack of understanding or application of nursing theory, lack of access to resources

for evidence-based practice, and organizational or cultural barriers to the implementation of best practices.

Several strategies can be employed to overcome the theory-practice gap in nursing:

1. Promoting continued education and professional development for nurses to enhance their knowledge and skills and keep up-to-date with the latest advances in nursing theory and practice.
2. Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration with other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, pharmacists, and social workers, to promote a more integrated and coordinated approach to patient care.
3. Creating supportive organizational cultures that support evidence-based practice and foster a learning environment that encourages the use of best practices.
4. Fostering mentorship and preceptorship programs that provide guidance and support in applying nursing theory to practice.
5. Implementing evidence-based practice to bridge the gap between theory and practice by incorporating the best available evidence into clinical decision-making.

What is Nursing Metaparadigms?

Nursing meta paradigms are the broadest concepts defining the discipline of nursing providing a framework for understanding

the core components of nursing.  There are four primary nursing metaparadigms or concepts of nuresing theories:

1. Person:

The person metaparadigm refers to the individual receiving nursing care, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual

dimensions. This recognizes that patients are unique individuals with their own beliefs, values, and cultural backgrounds.

2. Environment:

The environment metaparadigm refers to the external and internal factors that impact the patient’s health and well-being, including

physical, social, cultural, and political factors, thereby recognizing that patients are not isolated from their environment but are

influenced by it.

3. Health

The health metaparadigm refers to the state of being of the patient, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being

recognizing that health is a dynamic state that changes over time and is influenced by multiple factors.

4. Nursing:

The nursing metaparadigm refers to the profession of nursing, including the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide

patient care thus recognizing that nursing is a unique discipline that focuses on promoting health, preventing illness, and caring for

patients across the lifespan.

The 3 main categories of nursing theories 

1. Grand Nursing Theories

These theories are broad in scope, providing a comprehensive of the core concepts of nursing which are; the person’s environment,

health, and nursing. These theories are complex and developed through a process of deductive reasoning and empirical research

2. Middle-Range Nursing Theories

These are more specific in scope and focus on a particular aspect of nursing practice, such as pain management, stress reduction,

or health promotion. These theories provide a framework for guiding nursing practice and research and are often developed

through inductive reasoning and empirical research

3. Practice-Level Nursing Theories

Practice nursing theories are grounded in nursing practice and focus on the practical aspects of patient care. These theories provide guidance for nurses in the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care and are often developed through the use of evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives.

How do you apply nursing theory to practice?

Applying nursing theory into practice involves a systematic approach that includes assessment, analysis, planning,

implementation, and evaluation. It involves several steps, including:

1. Assessment:

This first step involves assessment of the patient including gathering information about the patient’s physical, emotional, social,

and spiritual health status, as well as their cultural background and personal preferences.

2. Analysis:

After gathering information about the patient, the nurse should analyze the data and identify any patterns or trends to identify

potential health problems

3. Planning:

Based on the assessment and analysis, the nurse should develop a care plan that is tailored to the patient’s individual needs and

preferences based on the principles of the nursing theory that align with the patient’s health status and desired outcomes.

4. Implementation:

The care plan should be implemented by providing the necessary interventions and support to the patient. Including administering medications, providing emotional support, or facilitating communication between the patient and other members of the healthcare team.

5. Evaluation:

The final step in applying nursing theory into practice is to evaluate the effectiveness of the care plan and make any necessary adjustments.

How does nursing theory influence nursing practice

Nursing theory provides a nurses to organize their thoughts and actions, and to develop a deeper understanding of the nursing

profession in the following are ways:

1. Identifying the scope and purpose of nursing practice helps nurses understand their role in patient care and provides a framework for developing care plans.
2. Providing a foundation for nursing research by providing a framework for developing research questions, selecting research methods, and interpreting research findings.
3. Enhancing patient care by guiding the development of evidence-based practice guidelines, which help to ensure that patient care is based on the best available evidence.
4. Promoting critical thinking by challenging nurses to think deeply about the nursing profession, patient care, and the relationships between nurses and patients.
5. Fostering professional development that nurses to understand the history and evolution of nursing practice and to identify areas where further research and development are needed.

List of Nursing Theories and Theorists

Nursing theories always acknowledge the theorists and the following theories and their theorists have been acclaimed for excellent

research on nursing and are still applied in nursing practice to date.

1. Florence Nightingale – Environmental Theory of Nursing
2. Virginia Henderson – Need Theory
3. Sister Callista Roy – Adaptation Model
4. Dorothea Orem – Self-Care Deficit Theory
5. Hildegard Peplau – Interpersonal Relations Nursing Theory
6. Imogene King – Goal Attainment Theory
7. Betty Neuman – Systems Model
8. Jean Watson – Theory of Human Caring
9. Madeleine Leininger – Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality
10. Patricia Benner – Novice to Expert Theory
11. Rosemarie Rizzo Parse – Humanbecoming Theory
12. Katie Eriksson – Caritative Theory of Caring
13. Lydia Hall – Care, Cure, Core Theory
14. Joyce Travelbee – Human-to-Human Relationship Model
15. Ernestine Wiedenbach – The Helping Art of Clinical Nursing
16. Ida Jean Orlando – Nursing Process Theory
17. Myra Levine – Conservation Model
18. Margaret Newman – Health as Expanding Consciousness
19. Nola Pender – Health Promotion Model
20. Sr. Callista Roy – Roy Adaptation Model

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