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Nursing Theory

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The paper describes the significance of applying nursing theories to patient care. The

paper also explain importance of nursing theory to current practice. This paper uses examples to

demonstrate a nursing can be applied before planning and providing care. Finally, the paper

provides a reflection on my personal views of nursing theory that is helpful to my planning and

providing care to my patient.

1. Application of Nursing Theory

Theory based nursing is critical in defining nurse-patient relationship, structuring

processes utilized in establishing a healing environment, providing professional level services

and applying expert knowledge in a clinical situation (Salifu et al, 2019). Theoretical approach

provides nurse with a model for defining how to develop and apply professional level care. The

use of nursing theory to design patient care is important to creating a healing environment. The

process of patient care entails a myriad of standardized technical interventions directed towards

improving practice modalities, providing resources and providing information. Therefore, the

purpose of applying nursing theory to guide the nursing practice.

2. Meaningfulness of Nursing Theory to Practice

The main significance of nursing theory is to improve practice by having a positive

impact on health and quality of patients’ life. The nursing theories outline the nursing care,

provide the foundation for decision making and guide the nursing practice. Nursing theories in

academic discipline provide unique language that is integrated unto clinical performance criteria,

course descriptions, course objective and nursing program objectives. The meaningfulness of

nursing theories in academic discipline is to enhance the profession’s status and describe the

fundamental implication of the practice (Salifu et al., 2019). Nursing theories in research create

models to provide guidance to the study area. Nursing theories also guide research practice by
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creating and testing the phenomenon of interest. Nursing experts can meet societal

responsibilities and duties by establishing a connection with theory, research and practice.

Finally, nursing theory is significant to the clinical setting during the facilitation of thinking,

questioning and thinking the role of nurses (Moran et al., 2019). Nursing theories encourage the

nurses to question, reflect and think about their provision of invaluable services since the

practice is subordinate to institutional traditions and forces.

3. Planning and Providing Care

Nursing theories can be applied before planning and providing care by focusing on the

concepts of nursing, health, environment and person (Salifu et al., 2019). The attributes of

nursing provide care on behalf or in coordination with the patient. For instance, Orem’s self-care

deficit nursing theory describe nursing as an art where the nurses provide help to patients which

makes more than ordinal help necessary to attain the needs for self-care. Nursing theories can be

applied to the level of wellness that the patient experiences. For instance, Orem’s self-care deficit

nursing theory considers health as being functionally and structurally sound or whole. Nursing

theories can also be applied to external and internal surroundings that affect the patient. For

instance Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory describe environment in the context of

biological, chemical and physical attributes such as community, family and culture. Orem’s self-

care deficit nursing theory can be applied to ensure positive interaction between the patient and

the environment. Finally, nursing theories can be applied to recipient of planning and nursing

care. For instance, Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory considers humans as social units, men,

women and children who are material objects of nurses.

4. A Reflection on a Nursing Theory

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The nursing theory that best reflects my personal views is Orem’s self-care deficit

nursing theory. The theory describes the four attributes of functional capabilities and

dispositions, basic conditioning factors, self-care requisites and self-care agency. The attribute of

functional dispositions and capabilities entails personal traits that influences the capacity for

actions (Tanaka, 2022). The attribute of basic conditioning factors describe measures performed

to achieve self-care in the context of the patient’s environment such as developmental factors,

life habits, gender identity and patient’s state of health (Tanaka, 2022). The attribute of self-care

requisites entails actions needed for the patient to attain self-care or well-being. Finally, the

attribute of self-care agency describes the ability for the patient to attain their self-care

requirements (Tanaka, 2022). This theory has helped me in planning and providing care to my

patients. Within this nursing theory, my role is to use my nursing knowledge to determine how

patients can attain self-care in the context of their living settings and support.
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References

Salifu, D. A., Gross, J., Salifu, M. A., & Ninnoni, J. P. (2019). Experiences and perceptions of

the theory‐practice gap in nursing in a resource‐constrained setting: A qualitative

description study. Nursing open, 6(1), 72-83.

Moran, K. J., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2019). The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project: A

Framework for Success: A Framework for Success. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Tanaka, M. (2022). Orem's nursing self‐care deficit theory: A theoretical analysis focusing on its

philosophical and sociological foundation. Nursing forum 57(3), 480-485.