Nursing Theories & Professional Nurse Practice

Nursing theories provide an organized way for nurses to answer questions about their profession. These theories offer a framework for describing, predicting, explaining and controlling phenomenon related to professional practice.

• Nursing theory is the framework for professional practice.

Core Concepts

• Nursing theories contain four concepts that a nurse incorporates into the plan of care for patients: the person, the environment, health and nursing itself (goals, roles and functions).

Types

• There are four increasingly abstract types of nursing theories: practice theory, middle range theory, grand theory and metatheory. A practice theory addresses specific practice issues, for example, while metatheory offers a global perspective.

Impact

• The work of Florence Nightingale, the first nursing theorist, has taught generations of nurses how to create a healthy patient care environment. Patricia Benner, a modern theorist, developed a theory of how novice nurses develop into expert clinicians. Her work has influenced training and career advancement programs for nurses across the country.

Benefits

• When a nursing department adopts a single theory of nursing, everyone speaks the same language. Nurses can share their progress with colleagues, and ensure consistency in patient care.

Considerations

• Many nursing theories were developed in universities that failed to make their way to the bedside. However, practical theories such as Orem's Self-Care Deficit model have influenced the development of nursing diagnoses and care planning.