Frameworks in Nursing Theory And Practical

Nursing theory is the term given to the body ofthat defines broad perspectives for nursing
wisdom that is used to support nursing practice.practice. Middle Range Theory is moderately
In their professional education, nurses will study aabstract and has a limited number of variables.
range of interconnected subjects which can beThey can be tested directly. Mid-range is very
applied to the practice setting. This knowledgeuseful in nursing research and practice. Practice
may come from experiential learning, from formalTheory traces the outline for practice. Objectives
sources such as nursing research or fromare set and actions are set to meet the
non-nursing sources.objectives. Four steps in the development of
Nursing theories provide a framework for nursespractice theories are: factor isolating, factor
to systematize their nursing actions: what to ask,relating, situation relating, and situation producing
what to observe, what to focus on and what tocontrol.
think about, to develop new and validate currentIn nursing, theories can also be analyzed by types
knowledge. They define commonalities of thewhich are needs, interaction, outcome, and
variables in a stated field of inquiry, guide nursinghumanistic-focused.
research and actions, predict practice outcomes,It is interesting to note that 90% of all nursing
and predict client response.theories have been generated just in the last
Nursing theories are used to describe, develop,20-years. Many schools encourage students to
disseminate, and use previous/present knowledgeformulate theories of Nursing as part of their
in nursing. Descriptive theory identifies propertiescurriculum. In fact the pages of Nursing Science
and components of a discipline. They identifyQuarterly are a major mouthpiece for Nursing
meaning and observations and describe whatTheory. Some still argue though that this
elements exist in that discipline. Explanatorymultiplicity of theory is detrimental to the practice
theory identifies how the properties andand undermines common vision. Others would say
components relate to each other and accountsthat the nature of the young science is sufficiently
for how the discipline functions. Predictive theoriesfar reaching to require such tactics in order to
predict the relationships between the componentselicit true consensus. It cannot be denied,
of a phenomenon and predict under whathowever, that there is much vanity involved in
conditions it will occur. And, Prescriptive theoriesthe formulation of nursing theory.
address nursing therapeutics and consequences ofNursing theory is essential to the framework of
interventions.nursing practice. Nursing theory information will
There are generally 4-levels of Nursing Theory:assist in guiding individual practice and research
Metatheory is the most abstract and not easilymethods.
tested. Grand Theory is a conceptual framework