NURSING

1. THEORY
 According to Fawcett (1995) “A theoryisa setof concepts,definitions,relationshipsand assumptions
that project a systematic view of phenomena.”
For eg.Orem’sself-care deficittheorydefinesnursingasahelpingservice,acreative effortto help
people.
 According to Barnumrow “Theoryisdefinedasa groupof relatedconceptsthatexplainexisting
phenomenaandpredictevents.”
 According to (Barnum, 1988) "Itmay consistof one or more relativelyspecificandconcrete concepts
and propositions thatpurporttoaccount for,or organize some phenomenon."
 According to (Chinnand Kramer 1999)Theory is“a creative andrigorousstructuringof ideasthat
projectsa tentative,purposeful,andsystematicview of phenomena”.
 THEORIES are a setof interrelatedconceptsthatgive asystematicview of aphenomenon(an
observable factorevent) thatisexplanatory&predictiveinnature.
NURSING THEORY
 Nursing theory isthe termgivento the bodyof knowledge thatisusedtosupport nursing
practice.
 Nursing theory is a frameworkdesignedtoorganize knowledge andexplainphenomenain
nursing,ata more concrete and specificlevel.
 A nursingtheoryisa setof concepts,definitions,relationships,andassumptionsorpropositions
derivedfromnursingmodelsorfromotherdisciplinesandprojectapurposive,systematicview
of phenomenabydesigningspecificinter-relationshipsamongconceptsforthe purposesof
describing,explaining,predicting,and/orprescribing.
METAPARADIGMS INNURSING
1. Person :-Recipientof care,includingphysical,spiritual,psychological,andsociocultural
components Individual,family,orcommunity
2. Environment:-Allinternal andexternalconditions,circumstances,andinfluencesaffectingthe
person
3. Health:-Degree of wellnessorillnessexperiencedbythe person
4. Nursing:-Actions,characteristicsandattributesof persongivingcare.
Importance of nursingtheories
I. Nursingtheoryaimstodescribe,predictandexplainthe phenomenonof nursing(Chinnand
Jacobs1978).
II. It shouldprovide the foundationsof nursingpractice,helptogenerate furtherknowledgeand
indicate inwhichdirectionnursingshoulddevelopinthe future (Brown1964).

2. III. Theoryisimportantbecause ithelpsusto decide whatwe know andwhatwe needto know
(Parsons1949).
IV. It helpstodistinguishwhatshouldformthe basisof practice byexplicitlydescribingnursing.
V. The benefitsof havingadefinedbodyof theoryinnursinginclude betterpatientcare,enhanced
professionalstatusfornurses,improvedcommunicationbetweennurses,andguidance for
researchand education(Nolan1996).In addition,because
VI. The main exponentof nursing –caring – cannotbe measured,itisvital tohave the theoryto
analyze andexplainwhatnursesdo.
VII. As medicine triestomake a move towardsadoptingamore multidisciplinaryapproachtohealth
care, nursingcontinuestostrive toestablishaunique bodyof knowledge.
VIII. Thiscan be seenasan attemptby the nursingprofessiontomaintainitsprofessional
boundaries.
The characteristics of theories
1. Interrelatingconceptsinsuchaway as to create a differentwayof lookingata particular
phenomenon.
2. Logical innature.
3. Generalizable.
4. Basesfor hypothesesthatcanbe tested.
5. Increasingthe general bodyof knowledge withinthe discipline throughthe research
implementedtovalidate them.
6. Usedby the practitionerstoguide andimprove theirpractice.
7. Consistentwithothervalidatedtheories,laws,andprinciplesbutwill leaveopenunanswered
questionsthatneedto be investigated.
Basic processesin the developmentofnursingtheories
• General SystemTheory
• AdaptationTheory
• DevelopmentalTheory