The role of nursing theory

Role of Nursing Theory s Nursing practice The nursing theory is defined by Chinn andKramer (2010) as a meticulous and creative formulation of ideas that project a purposeful and tentative, as well as systematic review of phenomena. The role of nursing theory is applicable in the nursing practice in various ways. The nursing theory offers the foundations of nursing practice by assisting to generate further knowledge and demonstrate which direction nursing should develop in future. As cited by Barnum (2012), theory is very crucial since is aids one make a decision about what they know as well as what they need to know. The significance of having a clear defined body of theory in nursing consist of improved professional status for nurses, better patient care, guidance for research and education, and enhanced communication between nurses. This is because nursing aims at developing a unique body of knowledge. Chinn and Kramer (2010) add that theory: helps nurses to explain, describe, and predict everyday experiences; aid come up with a criteria to measure the quality of nursing care; improve nursing autonomy; and offer a basis for collecting valid and reliable data in relation to clients’ health status that are crucial for efficient decision-making together with implementation; assist build a common terminology in home health to be used to communicate with other health practitioners.
Nursing education
There are various theories of nursing. Burns and Grove (2009) affirm that since the purpose of nursing education is to train competent nurses, it usually relies on theory. The nursing theory plays a very crucial role in drawing attention to the vital elements of nursing, for instance, the concept of home health, patient, and the environment of the patient, as well as the care nurses give. In this regard, in nursing education the nursing theory offers a more general focus for curriculum design. The study of theory by any nursing student is essential since it assist one to comprehend the career they have chosen, its motivation, vibrancy, and fluidity. Moreover, the nursing theory also guides curricular decision making.
Nursing research
The relationship between theory and research is undoubted. Nurses require the results of nursing research if they are to offer the best care (Alligood & Tomey, 2009). To that effect, the applicability of the role of theory in nursing research, it provides a framework for generating new ideas and knowledge. According to Burns and Grove (2009), research without theory leads to in discreet information that does not add to the accumulated knowledge of the discipline, in this case home health.
Theory also assists in discovering knowledge gaps in home health. Theory is also crucial in deductively looking at practice so as to discover concepts or theories to explain phenomena in home health. Since the theory is supposed to improve nursing care, the utilization of theory entails borrowing of conceptual frameworks from other disciplines. Theory generates nursing diagnosis as well as proposing plausible approaches to health problems. According to a view shared by Alligood and Tomey (2009), testing of a theory needs a comprehensive examination of the theoretical relationships.
Nursing administration
Finally, the applicability of the role theory in nursing administration is essential in the management of the health care facilities. Evidence has revealed that nursing administration also significantly relies on theoretical results. The major purpose of nursing administration is to design and manage, along with facilitating delivery of patient care.
George (2011) argues that the theory of nursing intellectual capital assists in administrative decision-making, human resource management of the nursing personnel, and continuing professional development. Furthermore, nursing administration incorporates elements of management theories, collaborative practice, and clinical nursing care, especially in home health.
In home health, the theory assists a nursing administrator to appropriately prepare to face challenges in various fields including evidence-based care and management, information management, ethical practices, and regulatory oversight. Following this further, the theory plays a crucial role on the formulation of standards of practice for the nursing administrators.
References
Alligood, M. R., & Tomey, A. M. (2009). Nursing Theory: Utilization & Application, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby Publications.
Barnum, B. (2012). Nursing Theory: Analysis, Application, Evaluation, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Burns, N., & Grove, K. (2009). The practice of Nursing Research, Philadelphia: WB Saunders Publications.
Chinn, P., & Kramer, M. (2010). Integrated Theory & Knowledge Development in Nursing, St. Louis: Mosby.
George, B. (2011). Nursing theories: The Base for Professional Nursing Practice, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.