Nursing theory-Do you use it at work?

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2008

Granolagirl17, to turn your comment about the magnetic bracelets around, do you have research data that supports your contention that this intervention does not work? If not then you risk sending a non professional opinion. Whether anyone agrees or accepts this fact, we are the product of and use nursing theory in our practice daily. Theory is foundational, we don't think about the cement that our houses are built on, yet without the foundation the house falls. Nanacarol

Call me cynical or a hundred other names that the mods would never let anyone post here, but I hardly think that Egyptian runes earn the title of "intervention".

But the one thing out of that that does is FAITH. I sincerely believe if the power of faith and hope as sources of healing. Charlatans and miracle cancer clinics aside, I sincerely believe in the power of human attitude. I also think you just might be able to worry yourself sick, and I accept that there are many things about how the human body works that we just don't understand (like we create enough electricity to power a small toy train when electrodes are hooked to our heads). I can accept the efficacy of things like reiki and acupuncture and hail the serious scientific inquiry into these methods. I believe if we paid more attention to ourselves and how we FEEL, instead of pushing it aside as being "crazy" or just a bad day, many of us wouldn't find ourselves in the hospital with God knows what. We possess a powerful, finely tuned machine that we just don't know enough about - or we've lost some type of self-instinct as we started to turn our focus from ourselves to the outside world and all of its trappings.

If a copper bracelet made my seventy-plus mother feel relief from her arthritis, I'd buy her two so she'd always have a spare. But the fact that my revered Mosby's nursing diagnosis book sounds like a combination of common sense, textbook learning, and psycho mumbo-jumbo (altered energy field? Come on now...) both disturbs and embarrasses me.

This is probably the major reason all this stuff - theory included - goes out the window in the real world. Who the heck wants to admit to some of this stuff? Not me! I enjoy reading Florence Nightingale because I find it amazing how ahead of her time she was - and I love sociology and the study of human interaction and how we react to change and the disease state - but any affection I have for "nursing" theory stops there.

wildmountainchild · Feb 21, 2008

This thread was getting a little long so I skipped to the end, forgive me if I mention something that was aready hashed out earlier.

I'm taking Nursing Theory now. And I agree w/ Zashgalaka......it's largely a bunch of mumbo jumbo. I have a BA in philosophy, so I've been down this road before. I spent years learning all the details of numerous different philosophies--Kant, Descarte, Nietchze, Plato, etc....only to realize that it's impossible to have one unifying theory. What works best for almost everyone is what works for THEM.

The direction nursing theory has moved in pushes nursing further to the fringe, away from science and respect from doctors and closer to arcane nonsensical language that is laughed at by "real" scientists. Some of the articles I read by nursing theorists just make me cringe...it's a if they have to create a whole new language to support something they've created in thier head. Sure, if I spout out enough BS I can make it appear to make sense. It's like listening to republicans defend abstinence-only education.

Why can't nursing move more towards science....after all, it's well known that increased stress leads to increased levels of cortisol that in turn make one more susceptible to illness.....why do we have to have Barbara Neuman make some ridiculous grid that essentially says the same thing but w/ NO supporting science behind it? It's EMBARRASSING that this is what nursing's best and brightest are coming up with. I think all of nursing theory needs to be radically revamped if nursing is to be taken seriously.

It's no wonder that as a profession we have difficulty getting respect. I don't respect us sometime when we fall back on unprovable "feelings", grids of emotions (how can you grid 'caring' for christ sake!), and elitist language.

And for the record...I'm an academic! I'm getting my masters in nursing to be an FNP. I've always planned to go after my doctorate, I just don't think it's worth my time and money to go after a PhD in nursing--the degree is a joke. I'll likely pursue a PhD is disaster management. Something usefull with real science behind it.

wildmountainchild · Feb 21, 2008

I'm going to refer this thread to my nursing theory instructor. Maybe she'll see the hopelessness of it all and start teaching us how to do more comprehensive assessments instead. I can dream can't I?

Also, for what it's worth...Ilg, I do think you made it pretty clear in your posting that bedside nurses aren't meant to understand, use, or incorporate nursing theory. That's how I read what you said before ever reading Tim's response. And I also don't see why you are getting upset. This is a debate, you are both expressing opinions. Passionately. Good for you. No reason to get offended or upset.