Mid-Range Nursing Theories - Essay Example

According to Peterson & Bredow (2009), while the Nuremberg code, introduced in August 1947, is mainly focused on research ethical practice especially with human samples, the declaration of Helsinki is a formulation of the World Medical Association (WMA) that guides human experimentation. Federal regulations, on the other hand, are state instituted provisions that govern how nursing is practice and is mostly focused on ensuring public safety. Finally, the IRB in nursing research defines a group of professionals that are tasked with reviewing research proposals that involve human beings.

 With regard to the knowledge base in nursing, there are specific categories that help advance professionalism in practice. First, historical knowledge provides the basis for explaining the nature of science in nursing theories and the grounds on which improvement can be done. The biophysical context defines a human being as a holistic being and correspondingly, a psychological perspective of nursing addresses the mental and emotional state of an individual as a holistic being. The analytic knowledge, on its part, institutes critical thinking necessary in interweaving the different ideas in practice.

Finally, organizational knowledge is the collective know-how in dealing with different events common in an organizational setting. Considering that nursing is science is based on theories, several theories including Grand Nursing Theory and a Middle Range Theory play a critical role. While Grand Nursing Theory is relatively broad and addresses a variety of concepts, Middle Range Theory is a proven approach in sociological theorizing that is intentioned to integrate different theories and is relatively narrower in scope.