THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK IN NURSING PRACTICE (March 13, 2021)

1. What do you think is the relationship of theory with nursing practice, nursing
education, and nursing research? Cite some examples to defend your answer.
Theory is a set of interrelated concepts that provides a systematic view of a
phenomenon. A theory allows relationships to be proposed and predictions made,
which in turn can suggest potential actions. Beginning with a theory gives a
researcher a logical way of collecting data to describe, explain, and predict nursing
practice, making it critical in research.
Nursing practice may be work experience that is direct and/or indirect patient care
in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation in the
specialty represented by the credential.
Nursing education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to
nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care
professionals. This education is provided to nursing students by experienced nurses
and other medical professionals who have qualified or experienced for educational
tasks.
Nursing research develops knowledge about health and the promotion of health
over the full lifespan, care of persons with health problems and disabilities, and
nursing actions to enhance the ability of individuals to respond effectively to actual
or potential health problems.
The relationship of theory goes hand in hand with nursing research, nursing
education and nursing practice to form a cycle or a process. Theory and research are
interrelated. Theory helps in formulation of a research and research can be a basis
for a new theory. Nursing theory is presented to explain a knowledge or a
phenomenon and predicts an outcome. Nursing research is conducted to provide a
scientific basis of an observed pattern or future actions. Series of gathering data,
investigations and test of probability is done to validate a presenting theory or give a
theoretical view that helps interpret data to derive into a conclusion that can be
used for further education or application of knowledge. Formulated nursing research
that provides scientific ground or study of a theory can now be put into nursing
education to be studied. Nursing education aims to provide trainings and
instructions for student and licensed nurses for the delivery of appropriate nursing
care or application of nursing practice.
 Theory is a vague unclear truth that explains an observed pattern. Without proper
study, one cannot be use as a formal basis of a nursing practice. Let’s take for an
example the Environmental Theory of Florence Nightingale. Before we all apply this
observed pattern into our nursing practice, through her observations she formulated
a theory that explains the importance of healthy and clean environment to one’s
health and recovery. She believed that having a well- lit, clean and sanitized room/
facility speeds up recovery of patients. She listed down all these patterns or
“concepts” which led her to formulate a theory. But it didn’t stop there. Series of
study, experimentation and investigation or nursing research was done to provide a
scientific basis to her claim. Proven that her theory was indeed a fact and is
beneficial to the nursing practice, it was threaded into our nursing education and
ever since became one of the basis of our nursing practice or deliverance of care.

Sources:
https://nursekey.com/theoretical-frameworks-for-research/#:~:text=The%20conceptual
%2Ftheoretical%20framework%20refers,variables)%20of%20concern%20to%20nursing.
https://www.oncc.org/nursing-practice-definition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_education
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218540/