need help with nursing theory, please~

[rebecca830813]

I'm now working with adult patients who require mechanical ventilation in ICUs. The information of best nursing practice in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia can be found through research studies or hospital guidelines. But, what is the relationship between nursing practice and theories? Which theory is associated with such a nursing practice in ICUs? Grand theory or midrange theory, or practice theory? How to utilize nursing theory to underpin my practice for preventing VAP? Need help, please.

[jtaublib]

i think you are trying to narrow down your options to a single theory only. having working experience in critical care settings and the knowledge of the constantly changing complex needs of the patients, you have a slew of theories coming into play. you can start with maslow's hierarchy of needs, orem's self care deficits, and roger's nursing's conceptual system. specific to your question as how to utilize them in your immediate practice, i suggest you look for clinical benchmarks for vap and compare your rates and procedures with the best as rated by established renowned evaluating bodies (e.g. magnet hospitals, malcolm baldrige award, etc.).

you can contact them and learn what you can do to improve the quality of care you deliver to your patients. if you find that your rates and practices are better, then publish them so others can learn from you. you can develop your practice based on theories yet you will be evaluated by your patient outcomes.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i believe that when your nursing instructors are asking you how nursing research can improve one's nursing practice, they are asking about what the comparable term to that here in america is called evidenced based nursing. these are effective nursing interventions that have been found through nursing research. i have a listing of strategies for how one should go about incorporating evidence based nursing research into their practice of nursing if you want to see them.

as for relating nursing practice to nursing theory, i don't think i can help you because i'm not sure what your instructors are referring to when they use the terms grand, mid-range and practice theory. do you know what they are referring to? is this just a classification of the major nursing theories? the definition of these three terms would be real helpful in answering your questions for you? it's hard to find anything on specific nursing theorists and their theories on the internet.