You are a student colleague of Karen’s enrolled in the same class. On the course Q & A Forum, Karen posted, “Nursing theory is outdated and is too broad and isn’t useful for Advance Practice Nurses.”

You are a student colleague of Karen’s enrolled in the same class. On the course Q & A Forum, Karen posted, “Nursing theory is outdated and is too broad and isn’t useful for Advance Practice Nurses.”

Nursing theory is used to explain several different concepts of nursing practice within the nursing profession, which can continue to carry on when in the advanced nursing role as a nurse practitioner.  Just as many nursing theories are continued to be used during bedside care as an RN, these same theories may still be utilized as a clinician when diagnosing and creating a plan of care for patients.  Several examples come to mind, such as Maslow’s theory, Pender’s Health Promotion Model, Leininger’s theory, Benner’s Professional Advancement Model, and many, many more.  Let’s take a closer look with a few of these examples.

Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality, developed by Madeleine Leininger by combining her experience as a nurse and her background in anthropology, is known as the first nursing theory to introduce transcultural nursing and its impact on health practices.  Leininger had recognized that culturally consistent care is essential for the health promotion of family units, individuals and communities (Schub & Caple, 2017).  Leininger’s theory is defined as “Transcultural nursing: an area of study and practice focused on cultural care differences and similarities of the beliefs, values, and lifeways of people and the use of knowledge to provide culturally specific and/or culturally congruent nursing care to clients” (Schub & Caple, 2017).  Leininger’s theory provides information regarding what is diverse within belief systems and practices, as well as identifying both similarities and differences which assist clinicians understand their patient’s health related decisions and practices (Schub & Caple, 2017).

Benner’s Professional Advancement Model, also known as the Novice to Expert model, was developed by Dr. Patricia Benner, which introduced a revolutionary nursing practice-based theory, which can be applied by supporting the values of the nursing practice, evaluation, education, leadership and professional development.  Benner’s theory is founded on the observed growth of nursing skills from the beginning stage as a novice, continues as the nurse acquires new experiences and skills, through the final stage as expert.   Each of Benner’s five levels builds upon one another, refining abstract principles of nursing, thus expanding knowledge and experience gained within the nursing profession (Mennella & Schub, 2018).

I feel one of the nursing theories that is used very closely by a nurse practitioner is Pender’s Health Promotion Model.

Nola Pender was the founder of the Health Promotion Model, and she described health as “not the absence of disease, but as an evolving life experience” which involves “actualization of inherent and acquired human potential through goal-directed behavior, competent self-care, and satisfying relationships with others” (Schub, 2016).  Health promotion is considered a holistic approach to patient care, with emphasis on improving quality of life and overall wellbeing, with or without the presence of illness, by increasing health promoting behaviors such as eating a healthy diet, participating in regular exercise, and getting enough rest.  This patient care model assists nurses in understanding their patient’s behavior regarding their health promotion, and it is when these behaviors are understood that the most individualized support can be provided and maintained to better enhance a patient’s health and prevent disease or illness (Schub, 2016).

Due to the fact that nurse practitioners teach their patients to improve and promote their health status, the Health Promotion Model would be used quite often as part of their daily practice with their patient’s.  Although these are just a few of the many theories that nurse practitioners would continue to utilize, I would hope that these examples would be enough to change Karen’s mind, and that she may begin to understand the relevance that theory still holds as a master’s prepared APN.

Mennella, H.A., & Schub, T.B. (2018).  Benner’s Professional Advancement Model.  CINAHL Nursing Guide.

Schub, E.B. & Caple, C.M. (2017).  Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality: Integration into Practice.  CINAHL Nursing Guide.