is nursing theory important to nursing practice

[precious nikz]

hello everyone...pls help me with our debate this Monday.. our clinical instructor gave us the topic,,"IS NURSING THEORY IMPORTANT TO NURSING PRACTICE?,, and we are in the negative side,.the decision was given through toss coin,.

PLS HELP US WITH OUR STAND,,NURSING THEORY IS REALLY IMPORTANT BUT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO BE ARGUED ABOUT IT..AND NURSING IS NOT REALLY ALL ABOUT THE THEORIES ITSELF..

PLSSS.....:cry:

[Music in My Heart]

From what I can see, nursing theory is of little practical use at the bedside. I believe that one can be an excellent nurse while having zero knowledge of the varied nursing theories out there.

As with some other fields (education being one), a lot of these theories derive from the need of PhD candidates to develop something novel and from the need of tenure-track faculty to publish.

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

:yeahthat:

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

From what I can see, nursing theory is of little practical use at the bedside. I believe that one can be an excellent nurse while having zero knowledge of the varied nursing theories out there.

As with some other fields (education being one), a lot of these theories derive from the need of PhD candidates to develop something novel and from the need of tenure-track faculty to publish.

There's probably a kernel of truth to what you say. Still, don't you think it's useful to have a framework for professional reflection about the practice of nursing?

[theatredork]

Still, don't you think it's useful to have a framework for professional reflection about the practice of nursing?

Just out of curiosity, can you provide an example of this?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Here is my problem with nursing theory. Some nurse comes up with a "new theory", write books, teaches on it, lectures, etc. I look at this "new theory" and think, well good grief, who doesn't know that. For example, the theorist who came up with the idea of "nursing as caring". How is that new? Of course it is caring...that is one reason why we do it. And if you don't care, you need to quit. But yet she is famous for creating this "new theory" that is just common sense to me.

It may seem like common sense to you now ... but at the time Jean Watson started publishing her work on caring, the "caring" aspect of nursing was being lost in the physiology and technology of nursing. At that time in our history, nursing curricula, nursing practice policies, etc. were all so heavily reliant on physiology and technology facts that the element of human caring was not receiving much attention. Hence, Dr. Watson felt the need to describe caring and put its important on paper -- and to become an advocate for that particular aspect of nursing -- so that it wouldn't continue to be downgraded within nursing education and practice.

Look at some of the posts in this thread and elsewhere on allnurses. People write that "all that caring stuff" is just a load of bull****. Some write that nursing should all be based on physiology ... etc. Other nurses only focus on the machines such as the monitors, etc. And still other people focus primarily on the money -- particularly in today's economy. As you read and listen to the discussions about health care and health reform here and elsewhere, you will often hear little mention of caring. Caring takes a back seat to money and physiology.

That's why we need to have SOME people at least talking and writing about caring. To you, it may seem like common sense. But if you had been raised and educated in a world where NOBODY was talking or writing about caring, it wouldn't seem like common sense to you. It would be a strange and "foreign" approach ... or... at least a "new idea." That's where the caring theorists come in. They are the ones who speak up about the caring aspect of nursing so that it doesn't get lost in all the discussions of physiology, technology, and money.

Let's hope the caring ideal continues to seem like common sense to you -- and to many others. But don't forget the fact that it seems like common sense to you because somewhere along the line, you acquired that value and internalized it -- probably from Jean Watson or someone like her that taught you about the importance of caring.

Thanks for the post. By responding to your post, it forced me to advance some of my own ideas about nursing theory and about the caring theorists in specific. I'll use that thinking to improve my practice as a nurse educator and leader.

[Music in My Heart]

There's probably a kernel of truth to what you say. Still, don't you think it's useful to have a framework for professional reflection about the practice of nursing?

Yes I do but my framework is much more practical: Did I perform all assessments and interventions on a timely basis and in a complete, accurate, and respectful manner? Did I minimize my patients' physical and emotional discomfort as much as possible given the constraints on my time and the limited sets of interventions at my disposal? Did I help out my coworkers as much as possible?

In short, the Golden Rule: Did I treat everybody, patients and coworkers, as I would want myself (or my child) treated?

I've read through all the grand theories, written numerous pages in which I've connected them to my clinical patients... I've really taken it seriously and read through far more resources than those assigned but I must still conclude that they're of little practical significance.

I'd love to hear case studies in which people related in concrete, practical terms how their care of actual patients was changed due to a nursing theory.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Just out of curiosity, can you provide an example of this?

Well, Benner's theory about 'novice to expert' is useful. I like some of Sister Callista Roy's Adaptation theory, too. Orem's self-care deficit theory makes sense to me. Nursing theories are helpful to provide reference points and frameworks within nursing research. Sometimes it's just to state the obvious, but we do need to have reference points, no matter how obvious.

I do confess much of what I've had to study about nursing theories for my classes makes me wrinkle my nose and think it's a lot writing to justify one's existence. And that Roger's energy field pablum is just embarrassing to the profession.

[Music in My Heart]

Let's hope the caring ideal continues to seem like common sense to you -- and to many others. But don't forget the fact that it seems like common sense to you because somewhere along the line, you acquired that value and internalized it -- probably from Jean Watson or someone like her that taught you about the importance of caring.

I didn't acquire the value of caring from Jean Watson or some other theorist in nursing school, I acquired it from my parents - neither of them nurses.

[Music in My Heart]

Well, Benner's theory about 'novice to expert' is useful. I like some of Sister Callista Roy's Adaptation theory, too. Orem's self-care deficit theory makes sense to me.

While essentially agree with the foundations of Benner's theory, I don't see how it's of any particular use. The same goes for the theories of Roy and Orem... they basically make sense but I don't see how they change anything and I don't see how I'd be any different as a nurse for failing to have read them.

[landdrnbsn]

Understanding that theory is the backbone of all clinical care perfomed by a nurse. We develope curriculum based on the theory of nurses' before us. Maybe you did not get enough theory while you were in school? Two that you discussed, Benner and Roy are two very classic nursing theorists! Research the two and you will be amazed at the connection between what you do as a nurse and what they wrote.

For the student looking for the negative side of theory in regards to nursing. Not all of our actions as nurses have a theory based approach. For instance, compassion. Compassion is an intregal aspect to nursing. Without the ability to give sympathy and/or compassion in respect to the care we give, we would be unable to approriately care for our clients/patients. Compassion is nothing we can learn, we are born with the ability to be compassionate to each other. No theory behind that one. Another, intiution. Again, another innate ability that does not require a theoritical background. Practicing nurses use intiuation constantly in patient care. We (nurses) need to be able to thing ahead, following our instincts. We we start to see changes in our patients, is it just scientific? Many times intiutions tells us that something is wrong, or will be wrong soon. Do we act on it or wait? A good nurse acts on her intuition. Survey a floor and ask nurses how often they treat based on intuition? Good luck with your debate. I hope I have helped you somewhat.

[theatredork]

I can see Benner's theory being utilized for orientation programs, as it has for mine. I think everyone in class agreed that it was a good reference, but I don't think it's been used beyond the classroom.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

We seem to focus on the grand theories here on the board. Perhaps this is because they are more abstract, and easy to take "pot shots" at. The middle-range theories are probably more 'palatable' for some since they are easier to apply to specific clinical situations.