[Cat12345]

I am also currently studying nursing theorists in my RN to BSN program. It seems that there is no "one size fits all theory" for either education, day to day nursing or research. In my practice I can recognize Dorthea Orems self care model, Imogene King's goal setting model, as well as Roy's adaptation model being used daily. Watson's caring theory, although it may seem "out there", does speak to one of the main reasons I chose nursing as a career. I'm interested in looking up Swanson and finding out more about her theory. Thanks for the info on her.
The difficulty I find in studying and applying nursing theory is that it takes time to absorb the information enough to make sense of it. Many of these theorists are very verbose. Hopefully, as time passes, I'll recognize more and more the theorists concepts and know that I have them in my toolbelt if needed.

[llg]

Originally Posted by Cat12345

I am also currently studying nursing theorists in my RN to BSN program. It seems that there is no "one size fits all theory" for either education, day to day nursing or research. In my practice I can recognize Dorthea Orems self care model, Imogene King's goal setting model, as well as Roy's adaptation model being used daily. Watson's caring theory, although it may seem "out there", does speak to one of the main reasons I chose nursing as a career. I'm interested in looking up Swanson and finding out more about her theory. Thanks for the info on her.
The difficulty I find in studying and applying nursing theory is that it takes time to absorb the information enough to make sense of it. Many of these theorists are very verbose. Hopefully, as time passes, I'll recognize more and more the theorists concepts and know that I have them in my toolbelt if needed.

I think that is a very healthy and productive approach to studying theory. You pick up a little here and there ... add to your knowledge over time ... and "collect tools" in your tool belt (or tool box) that can be taken out when they might be helpful later.

As you mature in your understanding of nursing scholarship, you'll have increasingly more tools to use.

Good luck to you ... and welcome to allnurses.com !

[Weezer25]

I am in the same class as Stephanie and am in the same boat with regard to the thoughts, feelings, and opinions about Watson. Her focus is great, but why all the complicated verbage to describe something so simple?? I'm leaning towards Betty Neuman's systems theory and Hendersen's theory. Both really make a lot of sense to me and I really like how Hendersen's theory gives the RN some autonomy with regard to decision making, rather than just being perceived as an MD "order filler."

[luv2hunt]

I like pieces from several of the theorists that we have studied. Betty Neuman's Systems Model makes sense to me. I like the interaction she demonstrates between stressors, lines of defense, prevention and how they affect the client as a whole.

I also like Orlando-Pelletier's theory. It seems very simple to me. Patient behavior, nurse reaction, nurse action....

[BBFRN]

Originally Posted by luv2hunt

I also like Orlando-Pelletier's theory. It seems very simple to me. Patient behavior, nurse reaction, nurse action....

That's a new one to me. Sounds very interesting, though.

[TreeDoc]

Well, my take on this whole theory thing is......they were developed in the education community as a guide to curriculum by people that either needed to be published or couldn't find a model that they liked.

As a new RN I could probably adopt any of these theories (perhaps with the help of some Zofran ) into aspects of my daily practice. Heck, I could probably make a career out of it .

But at this point in time, I am too busy refining skills, learning the nuances of charting, working too much overtime, adjusting family life to career and school to get more than just exposure out of a theory course .

I can also envision a new grad coming on to the floor spouting caritas criteria for administrating human care essentials with an intentional consciousness when all that is required is digital stimulation .

Perhaps it is just a progression...Florence to Henderson to Wiedenbach to Neuman to Orem to Watson to ad nauseam .

[ToughLove]

Enough information to make your head spin!! Sooo many theorists and so little time. I too, like many others, like Virginia Henderson. She seems to touch on a very broad and basic theme of nursing. Nursing is such a diverse field and means many things to many different people. A nurse may work in any multitude of areas from a hospital to a cruise ship!! Trying to put nursing in a box is like trying to put parenting in a box. There is more than one way to skin a cat!! So I think it is good that there are so many different but yet similar nursing theories. We as nurses can take what we like from each one. Written down as a theory or not we all can identify and or use many of these theories.