Discuss the difference between a nursing conceptual model and a nursing theory. Select a nursing theory and provide a concise summary of it.
Discuss the difference between a nursing conceptual model and a nursing theory. Select a nursing theory and provide a concise summary of it. Provide an example in nursing practice where the nursing theory you selected would be effective in managing patient care.
More details;
Firstly, a theory is a group of related concepts that propose action that guide practice.
Secondly, theory refers to “a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation”
Further, a nursing theory is a set of concepts, definitions, relationships, and assumptions or propositions derived from nursing models or from other disciplines and project a purposive, systematic view of phenomena by designing specific inter-relationships among concepts for the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and /or prescribing.
Also, Kerlinger – theories as a set of interrelated concepts that give a systematic view of a phenomenon (an observable fact or event) that is explanatory and predictive in nature.
Additionally, theories are composed of concepts, definitions, models , propositions and are based on assumptions.
Moreover, they are derived through two principal methods:
Nursing theorists use both of these methods.
Nursing theories are “attempts to describe or explain the phenomenon (process, occurrence and event) called nursing” – Barnum(1998)
Theories are for professional nursing.
Theory is “a creative and rigorous structuring of ideas that projects a tentative, purposeful, and systematic view of phenomena”
Finally, a theory makes it possible to “organize the relationship among the concepts to describe, explain, predict, and control practice”