Assignment Instructions
Describe the purpose of applying nursing theory to patient care.
Explain why nursing theory is meaningful to current practice.
Explain how a nursing theory can be applied before planning and providing care in current practice.
Discuss which theory best reflects your personal view of the essence of nursing and how it has been helpful to you for planning and providing care to your patients.
Sample Answer
Introduction
Nursing theories can be regarded as the cornerstone of providing high-quality nursing practice. These theories have existed for a long time since the introduction of the first nursing theory by Florence Nightingale in the 1860s. Over time, different nursing theories have emerged that define the roles of nurses, the relationship between nurses and patients, and the best treatment of diseases. This paper will discuss the purpose of the application of nursing theory in care provision, the importance of nursing theory in the current practice, the application of nursing theory in care planning and provision, and a discussion of the theory that best suits my worldview.
Purpose of application of nursing theory to patient care
The major purpose of nurse theories is to improve the nursing practice by guiding the delivery of care services and enhancing the quality of life of the patients. Nursing theories play a crucial role in developing and advancing the nursing profession by providing the basis for making major clinical decisions. In a lot of cases, nursing theories guide the development of knowledge and they direct nursing practice, research, and education. Before nursing theories were developed, the career was considered to be task-oriented (Wayne, 2023). However, in development, the theories were regarded as the foundation of nursing practice, gave the rationale for the various nursing interventions, provided nurses with a sense of identity, and helped nurses to reflect on nursing values and assumptions.
Importance of nursing theory in current nursing practice
Nursing theories determine the daily practices of nurses and they define the defining characteristics of the relationship between nurses and patients and how nursing theories shape how nurses interact with the patients. These theories enable nurses to identify the patients who require nursing care and articulate the care that is needed by the patients (Hansen & Dysvik, 2022). Nursing theories enable nurses to determine the information that they should gather on the patients, assess the patient's health situations, explain the patient responses, determine the most appropriate nursing interventions, and establish the best clinical practices.
Application of Nursing in Care Planning and providing patient care
There are various ways how nurses apply nursing theories in planning and providing care services. Different nursing theories are used to assess the health condition of the patient, identify the needs of the patient, and create a therapeutic relationship with the patient. The theories guide the collection of objective and subjective data that determine the needs of the patients and guide the formulation of the treatment plan. Additionally, nurses can use different theories to assess the self-care needs of the patients that necessitate care delivery. Thus, nurses utilize different theories that fit the needs of the patients and their style of practice.
The theory that suits my personal view of the essence of nursing
The nursing theory that best reflects my personal view is Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring. According to the theory, patients cannot be treated as objects and cannot be separated from the large workforce, nature, and self (Watson & Woodward, 2020). I believe in providing care services that benefit all aspects of the patient's life and that mutually benefit me and the patient as well. The theory enables me to assess the needs of the patients and tailor the care to suit their needs. Additionally, it enables me to collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary team in care provision.
Conclusion
Nursing theories improve patient care by enhancing the patient's quality of life and guiding the provision of high-quality and evidence-based care. In the current nursing practice, nursing theories guide the interaction between the nurses and the patients and they guide the provision of care that meets the specific needs of the patient. The nursing theory that suits my personal view is Jean Watson's theory of human caring which emphasizes the need to meet the patients' holistic needs in care provision.
References
Hansen, B. S., & Dysvik, E. (2022). Expanding the theoretical understanding in Advanced Practice Nursing: Framing the future. In Nursing Forum (Vol. 57, No. 6, pp. 1593-1598
Watson, J., & Woodward, T. (2020). Jean Watson's theory of human caring. SAGE Publications Limited. https://www.academia.edu/download/40016954/watson.pdf
Wayne, G. (2023). Nursing Theories and Theorists: The Definitive Guide for Nurses. Nurseslabs. https://nurseslabs.com/nursing-theories/