Theories Relevant to Nursing Practice

Non-Nursing Theories

 May not be directly applied to nursing but they can alos provide a variety of concepts that can be
applied not only to nursing, which are used for analysis, to interpret how humans behave and their
growth development.

1. Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)-Human Needs Theory

2. Herbert “Harry” Stack Sullivan (1892– 1949)- Interpersonal Psychodynamic Theory

3. Ludwig Von Bertalanffy (1901-1972) The General System’s Theory

4. Kurt Lewin (1890-1941)- Change Theory

5. Erik Erikson (1902-1992) - Psychosocial Development Theory

6. Lawrence Kohlberg (1907-1987) - Moral Development Theory

1. Abraham Maslow – “Maslow Hierarchical Needs”

 Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)-Human Needs Theory – Foundation of Nursing Diagnosis

 It argues that humans have a series of needs, some of which must be met in a hierarchical manner
 This is in every nurses’ toolbox for setting patient care priorities

Why Maslow’s theory is relevant in the nursing practice?

 Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is in every nurses' toolbox for setting patient care priorities.

Maslow Hierarchical Need NANDA

Physiologic Needs-Food,water,warmth, & rest Nutritional Need-Imbalance Nutrition: Less than
Body Requirements

Safety Needs-Security & Safety Safety/Protection Need-Risk for Infection

Belongingness & Love Needs-intimate relationship & Role Relationship Need-Impaired Parenting
friends
Esteem Needs-prestige & feeling of accomplishment Self-Perception Need-Situational Low Self-Esteem

Self Actualization-achieving one’s full potential, Health Promotion Need-Readiness for Enhanced
including creative activities Health Literacy
 Perception/Cognition Need-Readiness for Enhanced
Knowledge

2. Herbert Stack Sullivan - “Sullivan’s Transactional Analysis-Interpersonal theory”

 Herbert Stack Sullivan - “Interpersonal Psychodynamic Theory

 Transactional analysis is a brief therapeutic approach.

Sullivan's theory explains about anxiety, self system and self-esteem:

 Security operations
o those measures that the individual employs to reduce anxiety and enhance security
o defense mechanisms
 Self system
o refers to all security operations an individual uses to defend against anxiety and ensure self
esteem.
o If you have a good childhood phase, you can use your defense mechanism

Why Sullivan's interpersonal theory is relevant in the nursing practice?

 It provides the theoretical basis for interpersonal psychotherapy for depression and schizophrenia.
Interpersonal theory proposes that depression develops most often in the context of adverse events,
particularly interpersonal loss. His theory is the basis on how to intervene/transact patients to reduce
anxiety and enhance security.

Stages Characteristics
Infancy (Birth-18 months) Gratification of needs – ex: food
Childhood (18 mo-6 yrs) Delayed gratification
Juvenile era(6-9 yrs) Formation of peer group – ex: want to play with
others
Preadolescence (9-12 yrs) Developing relationships within same gender
Early Adolescence (12-14 yrs) Identity
Late Adolescence (14-21 yrs) Forming lasting, intimate relationships

Types of Self:

 The ‘good me’ versus the ‘bad me’ based on social appraisal and the anxiety that results from negative
feedback
 The ‘not me’ refers to the unknown, repressed component of the self.
 3. Ludwig Von Bertalanffy – “The General System’s Theory”

 Levine, Johnson, Roy, Neuman, Leininger, & Fitzpatrick Theories

Why the system theory is relevant to nursing practice?

 General systems theory is a general science of 'wholeness’ & has been applied in developing nursing
theories and conducting nursing research.
 For ex: when we have headache, we cannot function properly so we need to drink medicine for us to be
function well.

4. Kurt Lewin – “Change Model”

Why Lewin's theory is relevant in the nursing practice?

 It can lead to a better understanding of how change affects the organization, identify barriers for
successful implementation and is useful for identifying opposing forces that act on human behavior
 during change, to overcome resistance that may lead to acceptance of new technologies by nurses.

5. Erik Erikson (1902-1992) – “Psychosocial Development Theory”

Why Erik Erikson’s theory is relevant in nursing practice?

 It helps in analyzing patient's symptomatic behavior in the context of traumatic past experiences and
struggles with current developmental tasks.
 It guides the nurses to understand the patient’s past experiences to understand the despair of the
patient.
 6. Lawrence Kohlberg – “Moral Development Theory”

Why Kohlberg’s theory is relevant in the nursing practice?

  In the area of nursing theory Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is very influential. The
ethics of nursing are influenced by moral development, as nurses must develop a strong system of
morals in order to uphold the strict ethics required of them. It also helps understand of how patients
view things from right versus wrong.

7. Synchronicity in Human–Space–Time: A Theory of Nursing Engagement in a Global Community

Lim-Saco, Freslyn, RN, MN

Kilat, Cliford Masayon, RN, MA
Locsin, Rozzano, RN, PhD, FAAN

Why SHSPT is relevant in the nursing practice?

 It guide the nurses in translating the theoretical assumptions and caring elements of the SHSTTNE into
practice.
 -caring experiences among nurse & nursed
(Watson & Parson)

-takes full advantage of resources,

optimizing the potentials of humanistic
nursing care regardless of future social
& environmental demands.

- (-humans live/w/
technology and nursing
practice engage in
transformation (Locsin)

 Humans live with technology

 The nurse will use the technology in continuing nursing intervention
 Technology knowing-know how to use the technology
 Transformational engaging – explaining the purpose for the use of technology (measuring blood
presssure)