Nursing Theory - Please help me!

[Richo]

I am a third year external nursing student doing a subject called foundations of inquiry. My first assignment asks us to critique one nursing theory from section 4 of our study guide. The theories as such mentioned in the guide are: Activities of Daily Living; Self Care; and Epidemiology all written by different authors (theorists?). I emailed my lecturer only to become more confused, as I explained I am having trouble grasping some of the concepts and just wanted to know do I just critique one of those mentioned and he said he would make it easier and I could pick any nursing theory from any textbook and do a critique on it. I really just wanted to know if those ones listed were theories as such??? I think I am a little confused between models/theories etc etc. I am doing 3 other subjects this semester and currently have 3 extra adults and 5 extra children in my house (aswell as our 3) so am finding it hard to take in anything I read. It is my final sem of theory and I am terrified of failing, as I have completed 7 other assignments from the other subjects but feel I should of started this earlier as it is in depth and going over my head. Can anyone please help by maybe explaining the diff between theories/models etc? or someone might know of a theory that is easy for me to grasp and write about. Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards

Desperate Student

AKA Tracy

[nursemaa]

The theories as such mentioned in the guide are: Activities of Daily Living; Self Care; and Epidemiology all written by different authors (theorists?). I

Let me begin by saying that these are not theories. There are numerous nursing theorist that you could write about, try looking at this website to get you started:

http://www.sandiego.edu/nursing/theory/

As for how to critique the theory, your instructor should provide you with grading criteria (what he/she expects). If not, ask for it.

I hope this helps.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Different people approach the whole realm of nursing theories and models slightly differently. What one person calls a theory, another person might call a model -- and each person will have reasons for their choices and believe the other person is wrong. That's because the subject matter (models/theories that describe and/or explain the way things are) is not concrete. People can look at the same phenomenon from different perspectives and focus on different things without either one of them being "wrong."

That variety of perspectives often makes it difficult for students to deal with the field of nursing theory. Students tend to seek definite, concrete answers to things ... and the whole field of theory is tied up with philosophy, and both fields are rarely definite and concrete. Complicating things further, is that there are a lot of instructors out there who are not totally comfortable or expert in that realm of nursing -- and they don't teach it very well.

So ... it is very hard for students to get concrete help with an assignment from people who don't know the perspective of the person teaching the class. As the previous poster said, you are probably going to have to go back to your instructor, explain your difficulties, and ask for help.

Another option would be to talk with your classmates and/or upperclassmen who have taken the course with the same instructor. They might be able to give you some insight into what the instructor wants.

Good luck,

llg

[Richo]

Thankyou for your replies. I have decided on Ida Jean Orlando's nursing theory - the nursing process. I am going to read as much as I can find about this theory and work from there. This is probably the hardest subject I have come accross so far - and I am nearly finished. Another friend also said that critique may mean something different in the nursing world, so I am trying to find information on critique in the world of nursing theory. The lecturer is happy for me to do any theory so I will do my best and see how I go. Thanks again for your replies.

Tracy

:)