NUR 700 Discussion 7.1: Theory, Practice, and Philosophy of Nursing NUR 700 Discussion 7.1: Theory, Practice, and Philosophy of Nursing

NUR 700 Discussion 7.1: Theory, Practice, and Philosophy of Nursing NUR 700 Discussion 7.1: Theory, Practice, and Philosophy of Nursing

I interpret the statement “Theory must be a guide to practice, not an end in itself” to mean that theory is the basis for making sound clinical judgments and not just a historical manifestation. This means that in nursing, even today, we should be studying an assortment of theories and utilizing them as a basis to sculpt nursing practice (Saleh, 2018). Understanding nursing theory is only the beginning because when theory is implemented into practice, that is truly when nursing can expand and progress, thus meaning it is not an end. Theory offers the framework that differentiates nursing practice from other disciplines and directs how nurses interact with patients and view each health circumstance (Saleh, 2018). High-quality nursing practice involves the application of knowledge, skills, caring, and art to care for patients in a successful, competent, and respectful way (McEwen, 2014). This all stems from nursing theory.

My personal nursing philosophy has not changed since the beginning of class. It has only adapted and become stronger. My tenets of integrity, knowledge, and empathy remain the same. I still believe that in order to be a good, strong nurse, I must treat my patients using the knowledge I have obtained from up-to-date evidence-based practice which is also backed by nursing theories. I must also perform all tasks and duties with the utmost integrity. Lastly, I must place myself in my patients’ shoes so that I can better understand them and their feelings. However, I now have a better understanding of different nursing theories, which work for my current practice, and how to adapt and add other theories into my practice as I see fit. I have discovered that Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory is the most applicable to my current nursing practice. However, if I were to change fields, a different theory might be better for guiding my practice. This will also hold true as I become a Nurse Practitioner. What I use Registered Nurse may not work best for an Advanced Practice Nurse. I also learned that all nursing practice is based on nursing theories and philosophies that have advanced over time. Theories from hundreds of years ago can still be applied to nursing today, and as nursing has advanced over time, new nurses have developed modern theories to apply to the ever-changing situations nurses encounter.

References

McEwen, M. (2014). Overview of theory in nursing. In M. McEwen & E. M. Wills (Eds.), Theoretical basis for nursing (4th ed., pp. 23–48). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. https://zu.edu.jo/UploadFile/Library/E_Books/Files/LibraryFile_171030_28.pdf

Saleh, U. S. (2018). Theory guided practice in nursing. Journal of Nursing Research Practice, 2(1), 18. https://www.pulsus.com/scholarly-articles/theory-guided-practice-in-nursing.pdf