Is nursing theory actually used by working nurses?

[BCRNA]

In school I was always told how important nursing theory is in guiding nursing practice and improving care. Both in undergraduate and graduate school my teachers ridiculed PAs for not having a theory that guides their practice. Are there any nurses that actually use a nursing theory in practice? Are there any nurses that can name one nursing theorist and explain the theory? I have also found that the teachers in my theory classes have very elitist attitudes when it comes to the theories. I have encountered one hospital that prides itself on basing its nursing care on one particular theorist. No nurse I have worked with in the last 10 years basis there care on a theorist, they can't name a single one. How can theory be what drives our practice, when it is never used. And my teachers have even admitted that some are too complicated for many entry level nurses to truly understand.

At first I just told myself I am not experience enough or know enough about nursing to understand it. I have been a nurse for almost ten years and now realize that its not just me not grasping its importance, its just not important. My opinion now is that nursing theory was created to justify nursing as an academic discipline in a time when no one believed nursing belonged in a university. Then it was used to justify doctoral level nursing. I think nursing theory could be used to guide nursing, but it just isn't being used in actual practice. I know many nurses are going to read this and consider it heresy, but just ask the nurses you work with about the theorist they know and how they use them, my bet is that very few could even name a theory. Seems to me that only PhD nurses use theory for their research, but it fails completely when it comes to actually guiding practice. Just wondering what everyone else's opinion was on the topic, I have asked graduate faculty about theory in practice and usually get very negative feedback with derogatory comments about nurses in practice not being the academic elite, that it takes experts in nursing theory to understand the nuances of it. There again, if it is to complicated for practicing nurses to understand, can it really be guiding there practice?

[rnfalnc2009]

Hallelujah I finally found some nurses I can relate to about nursing theories and how they cannot directly apply it to their nursing practice. I'm in an online university theory class right now and I cannot find anywhere online how I can apply these theories to working in the operating room. We do not write care plans, but for the 15 minutes I get to talk to my patient before surgery, I'm sure I apply some sort of nursing process to my practice. I find the theorists very interesting and I can honestly relate to a few of them, but I do not think about the theories when I am interviewing my patients. I suppose I do incorporate some parts of the theories that are comprised of caring, compassion, and wellness. It's just not done in a direct way and like someone mentioned in one of these posts, there is no definitive connection between the theories and interactions or interventions with patients. A lot of it is too abstract for my thinking. Especially Martha Rogers. I get a glazed over deer-in-the-headlights look when I try to read her theory. It doesn't even compute. I told my instructor she is the female version of Stephen Hawking. Don't understand a word she is saying. And I confess I hate reading the models of the theorists. Too abstract and drives me nuts. Well, thanks for a place to vent and put in my two cents.

[Suspiria08]

I think it's wasting time on this nursing theory foolishness, and accepting this kind of fluff, that makes us look like girls trying to play doctor with the big boys.

I would have more respect if we chose and tuck with one nursing theory, almost arbitrarily. At least it would be consistent, instead of appearing so flaky.

I've googled and cinahl 'd it and I can't find that medicine ever did this. True, some doctors and even people as individual professionals might honor a personal philosophy- but that is driven by the self, not imposed from the outside.

[PeeWeeQ, ADN, RN, EMT-B]

I've studied plenty of philosophy. The ONLY place I've found for it in life is to give name to how one feels and behaves. It doesn't actually guide anything. Philosophy is not principal and nursing theories are not practical. Are theories and philosophy interesting? Sure, but, do they serve a PRACTICAL purpose? Meh...Certainly in certain circles and disciplines. In nursing, they're just common sense organized into bullet points and put to paper.

I agree--nursing theories exist to give certain groups of individuals something to do. Patients and their circumstances are unique, and, some people are gifted in adapting to and dealing with those people and their circumstances as it applies in a Healthcare or emergency setting. Some aren't--you can't really teach it. Categorizing how certain individuals choose to apply or in what manner they are adept in applying their craft is a waste of time, effort, and student loans...

[dzadzey, MSN, RN]

Nursing theory is a guide...not writ in stone absolutes...a guide, to nursing practice. Nursing practice is wholly contextual, and nursing theory, nursing experience, life experience, and a whole host of other subjective personal experience contribute to how we provide nursing care in the context of caring for a given patient.

[Robmoo, ADN, BSN, RN]

Some nursing theory is very practical such as Nightingale's Germ Theory and Environmental Theory. Some nursing theory is less practical such as Rizzo-Price's Theory of Human Becoming. The development of a unique body of knowledge including theories and their practical application are a necessary part of a profession. That being said, some nursing theory is out in left field and some nursing theorists appear to be more like a semi-religious guru rather than a nursing professional.

This question was asked back in 2010, but I've heard a lot of nurses and student nurses ask the question. Some maybe my response will be helpful to someone seeking an answer.

[TruvyNurse]

I've not heard one word of NANDA, NIC or NOC since graduating with my RN. Personally, I would have rather skipped that part in school and focused on more clinical things. I know they meant well, but it was useless to me on my career. I haven't even thought about Theories until one of my graduate classes when I had to relearn them in depth. Bleh!!

[caliotter3]

I've not heard one word of NANDA, NIC or NOC since graduating with my RN. Personally, I would have rather skipped that part in school and focused on more clinical things. I know they meant well, but it was useless to me on my career. I haven't even thought about Theories until one of my graduate classes when I had to relearn them in depth. Bleh!!

I totally agree. The time wasted on nursing theory would have been better spent teaching me how to document medication administration. Imagine, leaving out that very important nursing task. Unless, of course, the DNP/PhD prepared curriculum experts did not see the need.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

It's been so long since nursing school that I don't even remember which nursing theory we learned. That's how much I've used it during my career. I'm sure it's more heavily emphasized in BSN and MSN programs, but I think I did pretty well without a firm foundation in theory. YMMV.

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

. Stop sitting around making up convoluted, half baked theories to define your profession on an existential level. Leave that to the I. Kants of the world, and start solving real problems. Let's study, as nurse researchers, the correlation between neurological disorders in children, and vaccinations given before one year. That might help someone, and generate new knowledge that other professions are afraid to generate. Or, the significance of the nutritional deficits offered by the typical American diet and lower IQ? Hey! Maybe we could study preoperative self esteem, and postoperative report of satisfaction on the results in cosmetic surgeries. That may give us a heads up when we are dealing with a malcontent client who will never be happy no matter what we do. Let's study something in our research world besides the theory of theories, and why we need them. Maybe then, we can stop trying so hard to invited to the big table. Pardon my rant. Again, the short answer is no.

i 100000% agree with your point here. But, i couldn't let the bolded go unquestioned. That research *has* been done. What makes you think other professions are "afraid" to go there? I hope i am wrong but i am sensing you might have some misunderstandings about the strong scientific consensus that exists regarding vaccinations and the relative risks and benefits.

Vaccine misinformation, esp from a nurse, is seriously dangerous, so i had to call it out. Sorry if i misunderstood!