Fundamentals of Nursing: Standards & Practices, 2E

Chapter 2 Theoretical Foundations of Nursing

What is a Concept?
A concept is the basic building block of a theory. A concept labels a phenomenon. Concepts assist us in formulating a mental image about an object or situation. A conceptual framework is a structure that links global concepts together.
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What is a Proposition?
A proposition is a statement that proposes a relationship between concepts. A proposition is the structural element of a theory. Propositional statements in a theory represent the theorists view of which concepts fit together.
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What is a Theory?
A theory is a set of concepts and propositions that provide an orderly way to view phenomena. The purpose of a theory is description, explanation and prediction. A theory helps us to organize our thoughts and ideas. Theories guide research.
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Importance of Nursing Theories

Theories provide a framework for thought in which to examine situations. Theories provide a structure for communicating with other nurses and other health team members.
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Theories assist the nursing discipline in clarifying beliefs, values, and goals. Theories help to define the unique contribution of nursing in the care of clients.
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Scope of Theories
Grand theory Middle-range theory Micro-range theory

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Knowledge Development in Nursing

The Metaparadigm of Nursing
Metaparadigm concepts provide the boundaries and limitations of a discipline. Disciplines are distinguished from each other by differing metaparadigm concepts. The major concepts that provide structure to the domain of nursing are person, environment, health, and nursing.
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What is a Paradigm?
It is a particular way of viewing the phenomena of concern that have been delineated by the metaparadigm of the discipline.

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Two individuals with different paradigmatic views can look at the same phenomenon and each will view the phenomenon differently. The prevailing paradigm in a discipline represents the dominant viewpoint of particular concepts.
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A paradigm revolution is the turmoil and conflict that occur in a discipline when a competing paradigm gains acceptance over the dominant paradigm.

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A paradigm shift refers to the acceptance of the competing paradigm over the prevailing paradigm or a shifting away from one worldview toward another worldview.

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Two Paradigms in Nursing:

Totality Paradigm Simultaneity Paradigm

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Nursing Theorists
Florence Nightingale
considered nursing to be both an art and a science. stressed the importance of caring for the ill person rather than the illness. thought a persons health was the direct result of environmental influences (cleanliness, light, pure air, pure water, efficient drainage).
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Early Nursing Theorists:

Hildegard Peplau Virginia Henderson Faye Abdellah Joyce Travelbee Josephine Paterson and Loretta Zderad
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Contemporary Nursing Theorists

Myra Levine Dorothea Orem Sister Callista Roy Martha Rogers Rosemarie Parse

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Theories for the New Worldview of Nursing

They describe, explain, and predict the phenomena of concern to nursing from a more holistic perspective. The client has primacy. The client-environment interaction is of utmost importance. Theories include those by Jean Watson, Martha Rogers, Rosemarie Parse.
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Theory of Human Caring

Developed by Jean Watson in the 1980s Offers a new way of conceptualizing human-to-human transactions that occur daily in nursing practice Composed of 10 curative factors which are classified as nursing actions or caring processes
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The Science of Unitary Human Beings

Developed by Martha Rogers The person is viewed as a unified whole and seen as greater than, and different from, the sum of the parts.

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The person is a human energy field that interacts with the environmental energy field resulting in the process of life. Nursing aims to repattern the rhythm and organization of energy fields so that the persons integrity is heightened.
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