Analysis of the Importance of Nursing Theory - Coursework Example

? Practice Theories and Micro-theories The essay aims to address the following objectives to wit to integrate verbal, written, and technological communication in implementing advanced nursing roles in the health care environment; (2) to utilize critical inquiry and judgment to evaluate the design, implementation, and outcomes of strategies developed for learning and health care systems; and (3) to exemplify professional values, scholarship, service, and global awareness that support professional and personal development. Practice Theories and Micro-theories Introduction Nursing theories are essential for establishing credibility and developing the body of nursing knowledge. As nursing care is a complex process, nursing theories emerged to map complex processes of human action and interaction that affect nursing care (Houser, 2008, p. 166). Thus, nursing theories made nursing care simpler and easy to understand through theoretical representation. From the author’s viewpoint, nursing theories serve as the strongest foundation of nursing which guide nursing actions and standards of practice. Without this, the author believes that nurses’ care would be unsystematic, of low quality, and not holistic. In line with this, the author will discuss types of nursing theories, particularly practice theories and micro-range theories. Furthermore, this paper will focus on micro-range theory of learned responses in managing multiple chronic diseases through Corbin and Strauss’s chronic illness trajectory model along with Bury’s concept of biographical disruption. This paper will also analyze the importance of nursing theory to the nursing profession and the relationship of nursing theory to nursing leadership, nursing education, and nursing informatics. Analysis of the Importance of Nursing theory to the Nursing Profession Nursing theories are essential to the nursing profession as they guides nursing practice and research (Houser, 2008, p. 174). Nursing theories are significantly related to nursing practice because theory is shaped by practice and practice evolved because of the development in theories. The development of nursing theories has also provided means to establish nursing as a profession. According to Meleis (2012), nursing theories provide nurses with the framework and goals for assessment, diagnosis, and intervention (p. 36). Each aspect of nursing care is grounded to nursing theories to enhance critical thinking and decision-making related to care and to effectively manage patient’s situations and conditions. Thus, nursing theories are important in the nursing process. Through theoretical perspective, nursing practice becomes more efficient, effective, and goal-directed (Meleis, 2012, p. 35). Since nursing theories serve as the blueprint of practice, extraneous areas or activities are minimized leading to conservation of time, energy, and talent of nurses in practice. In this case, nursing goals and nursing knowledge or theories are clearly articulated which may result in effective seeking and responding of patients and families to care being rendered by the nurse. It is not only in nursing practice that nursing theories are of great importance but to the research body as well. Nursing theories have the same degree of importance to nursing research as they guide nursing research by limiting what questions to ask and what methods to use in answering the research questions. Both the nursing theories and nursing research have cyclical relationship because the result of the research can be used to verify, modify, disprove, or support a theoretical proposition that can promote growth and enrichment of nursing theory as a scholarly discipline (Meleis, 2012, p. 35). Upon analysis of the importance of nursing theories, the author has learned two essential fields in relation to nursing theories: research and practice. For the purpose of this paper, the author will discuss in the next texts practice theories, micro-theories, and the key concepts and propositions of the selected theory. Practice Theories, Micro-theories, and Corbin and Strauss’s Chronic Illness Trajectory Model with Bury’s Biographical Disruption: Key Concepts and Propositions According to level of abstraction, theories are categorized into grand theories, middle-range theories, and situation-specific theories. Situation-specific theories are also referred to as practice theories or micro-theories (Peterson & Bredow, 2009, p. 37). Practice theory is the most commonly used term; however, this paper will define and use micro-theories in the subsequent texts. Houser (2008) defined micro-theories as precise theories that are much narrower in scope and usually related to a particular situation or a set of circumstances in nursing practice (p. 167). Micro-theories have concrete and narrow scope, concepts are readily measurable, objective and applicable to limited populations and practice settings, and provide description, explanation and understanding of patient’s experiences of specific phenomenon. In line with micro-theories, the author has selected micro-theories of learned responses related to self-management or care of chronic illness using the concepts of chronic illness trajectory and biographical disruption. Corbin and Strauss’s chronic illness trajectory model refers to illness trajectory as the course of an illness over time and actions of patients, families, and health care providers to manage that course (Lindsay, 2009, p. 985). The course can be influenced by medical, social, political, economic, biographical, and psychological forces with each trajectory different among individuals and circumstances. The theoretical model of Corbin and Strauss focuses on clinical manifestations of the disease and how people cope with the disease. Biographical disruptions then come during the process of coping and refer to the history of life and hopes of the patient due to interruptions and changes. Biographical disruptions include disruptions in assumptions and behaviors, biography and self-concept, and mobilization of resources (Lindsay, 2009, p. 986). Corbin and Strauss’s chronic illness trajectory model, along with biographical disruptions, is indeed categorized as micro-theory because the scope is narrowed and limited only to patients with chronic illnesses and the theoretical framework focused only on a specific phenomenon (learned responses such as self-management and self-care of patients with chronic illnesses). The Relationship of Chronic Illness Trajectory Model to Nursing Leadership, Nursing Education, and Nursing Informatics The chronic illness trajectory model will enable a nurse to take an active role in nursing leadership. It has been stated in the previous text that illness trajectories are influenced by social, economic, and physiological factors. Nurses are one of the social forces that can affect patient’s perception of their position in the illness trajectory model. Thus, a nurse with effective leadership can shape the actions of patients to better outcomes as manifested by stable disease course, fewer exacerbations, and better controlled symptoms. In addition, effective nursing leadership and management of chronic illnesses using the trajectory model is achieved because the course of illness is examined over time. In fact, the trajectory model can be used as a management instrument for the professional care. Relevant to nursing education, the illness trajectory model and the biographical disruptions will teach nurses of the value of continuous and long-term monitoring and familiarity with the patient’s perspective. A nurse with comprehensive understanding of patients can deliver a holistic care and can provide health education based on the identified and long-term need of the patient. Corbin and Strauss’s trajectory model can also work in a symbiotic relationship with nursing informatics in order to deliver a timely and quality care. With the interplay of nursing informatics and trajectory model, conditions like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, HIV, AIDS, diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis can easily be organized, understand, managed and monitored for evaluation of care (Master, 2009, p. 62). Aside from the trajectory, other examples of micro-theories in the literatures are the theory of menopausal transition in Korean to give more focused guidelines for clinical practice of this population, lived experiences of Asian American women caring for elderly relatives, and the preventive models for HIV among adolescents (Meleis, 2012, p. 34). Reflecting on one’s experiences, the author also encountered application of micro-theories in nursing practice. The author examined drug rehabilitation, particularly narcotic analgesics, among males with ankylosing spondylitis. Conclusion In general, the trajectory model can be a very helpful and effective guide for nurses in monitoring patients with chronic illness. Trajectory model could also be a way to practice nursing leadership and prepare one’s self in the intensive care units. Nurses know that intensive care units require continuous monitoring and excellent critical thinking skills; thus, the trajectory model may not be only applied to management of patients with chronic illness but to patients who also need critical care. Nursing theories guide nursing practice; however, the author believes that nursing scholars should examine the applicability of various theories to the public. For instance, some of the grand theories may not be applicable to patients who belong to other race. In line with this, the author recommends the enrichment of micro-theories to render patient-centered care. References Houser, J. (2008). Theoretical frameworks. Nursing Research: Reading, Using, and Creating Evidence (p. 163-177). Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC. Lindsay, S. (2009). Prioritizing illness: Lessons in self-managing multiple chronic diseases. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 34(4): pp. 983-1002. Masters, K. (2009). Framework for professional nursing practice. Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice (2nd ed.) (p. 45-65). Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC. Meleis, A.I. (2012). Theory: metaphors, symbols, definitions. Theoretical Nursing: Development and Progress (5th ed.) (p. 23-37). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Peterson, S.J., & Bredow, T.S. (2009). Introduction to the nature of nursing knowledge. Middle Range Theories: Application to Nursing Research (2nd ed.) (p. 1-39). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Read More