Nursing Theory & Practice

Unit 1: Nursing Theory & Practice

Nursing theory is a framework designed to organize knowledge and explain phenomena in nursing at a more specific and concrete level. Nursing theory gives terms to provide the body of knowledge that is used to support nursing practice. Nursing theory is a set of concepts, definitions, relationships and assumptions or propositions derived from nursing models or from other disciplines and project a purposive systematic view of phenomena by designing specific inter-relationships among concepts for the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting and prescribing (Lee, 2014).

Although I did study theory and research as it relates to nursing in my baccalaureate program, there are still many undiscovered areas left to learn. I think the problem lies how some of the content is presented to students, which is in turn kept with those students who are now nurses. If there is no theory basis that is discussed regarding nursing practice concerns, there will be no thought of the nursing theory behind it.

• Discuss the value of theory to the profession of nursing (Nursing Practice, Nursing Education, Nursing Research, or Nursing Management).

I do feel as though there is less nursing theory in the clinic than in the hospital. I have worked in both settings, and clinic nursing feels more focused on one particular thing, where hospital nursing usually has to incorporate all body systems for the patient’s care. This also depends on the specialty of the clinic. As a clinic nurse, I feel closed off from the hospital, and in turn theory seems very far away and difficult to grasp and understand, due to the seemingly lack of involvement in the patient’s care.

One way that incorporating theory would improve my current role, and definitely my future role would be to incorporate more reasoning as to why I am providing the care that I am providing. “The professional growth of practicing nurses is vital, and fortunately, many practicing nurses read scholarly journals, research-based literature, and practice-based journals” (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 439). This is definitely something that all nurses should be doing, including myself. I should not just be going the motions: I should really take time in understanding why I am doing what I am doing in my role. I want to be a clinical provider, no doubt, but I think in order for me to be more proficient in a position in a clinical setting, I need to have a more rounded thought process, incorporating both theory and practice, when providing care.

• Identify one way in which you could use theory to improve your practice in your present or future role.

What are some ways that you feel you are either connected or disconnected with nursing theory, and why?

McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing (pp. 25). (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.