NRS 430 Topic 3 DQ 2 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.

NRS 430 Topic 3 DQ 2 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.

REPLY TO DISCUSSION

A component to being a profession is that the discipline have it’s own body of knowledge, and in some cases theoretical support. Our Florence Nightingale started us off with her Environmental Theory. We often do not think about why we do what we do on a daily basis as a nurse. Have you thought about what theory drives your nursing practice? While I may use several, Orem’s Theory was my go to theory when caring for patients. What theory drive’s your practice?

Virginia Henderson’s Nursing need theory has been a source of inspiration to my practice. Her definition of nursing says it all. Without a need to care, there won’t be a practice. Most times, i remind myself that if this patient does not have a defect in health, there won’t be a reason to be in a health care facility.

Hence, the nurse helps them when they are dependent while preparing them for independence when discharged home.

Care is one element that makes nursing, well….nursing. We add care into everything we do.

I would say that I have never really thought about what nursing theory guides my professional nursing practice, but after reading this week and learning more about the nursing theories I got to thinking about what nursing theories guide my practice. I would say that I practice with multiple nursing theories regularly but one that stands out to me the most that I would say I use is Kurt Lewins Field Theory, where human behavior is related to both the individual and the environment (Whitney 2018).

I tend to think that people are often a product of their environments. For example if you are sitting in a cold dark room all day you may end up being depressed, whereas if you go outside and get some sunshine on your face and smile you may actually feel happier. In nursing I think if we promote a healing environment, that is warm, quite, relaxing and positive we may have a better patient outcome on healing than if we were to promote a uncomfortable environment. I also feel that if we promote a safe environment then we will inherently have less falls and injuries to patients that if we were to not. Overall the environment in which someone is, in my opinion, has a lot to do with patient outcomes.

Whitney, Stacey. (2018). Dynamics in Nursing: Art and Science of Profession Practice. History of Profession Nursing. Grand Canyon University. https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs430v/dynamics-in-nursing-art-and-science-of-professional-practice/v1.1/#/chapter/2

Thank you for sharing. I agree that often we do not think about what drives our care….we just do it. I will also add along with your post, Florence Nightingale’s Environmental theory addressed light, etc. which also goes along with your post.

Billie, I know in my previous post I talked about Rogers’s science of unitary human beings but working in an outpatient surgery setting, that really seems to be the theory that drives my practice. Our patients come in to a situation where it is totally foreign to them! We, as nurses, deal daily with what to expect in the different phases of surgery and recovery but it is totally new to our patients and we have to be cognizant of that daily.

Thank you for determining that Roger’s theory is most relevant to your work setting. As we explore who we are as nurses and question why we do what we do, the reflection allows us to become more aware.

Theory is wildly deep in passion for purpose. As I have been trying to understand these theories more, I have come to identify them in my past care experiences and now use them to advance my new ones. After reading the other posts, one of Cassidy’s comments sparked my attention, and I realized that I use Lewin’s Field Theory a lot in pediatrics. Cassidy said, “I tend to think that people are often a product of their environments.”

This takes me to Lewin’s change management model and why I use it in pediatrics. Working in the ICU brings an already intense and scary environment that greatly challenges one’s behavior. In the cardiac ICU, we have a higher rate of newborn admissions than others. We care for the parents and the patient as if they are one. Parents make the decisions, they are the advocates, and they feel the pain or happiness of their babies. Babies also feel the energy of their surroundings. The stressors are crazy high. They just gave birth; the mom doesn’t always come with the baby. It’s usually just dad. They are separated and highly emotional because multiple environments are changing without their control.

So what am I getting at? Their environment is in a state of unfreezing. When they walk through my doors and enter a new crazy, stressful, and life-altering environment, I have this window of opportunity to cr