Theory Flashcards
Quantitative Research
Aim to describe, compare, and predict in order to understand or control phenomena
types of quantitative research (4)
◦Experimental-Determines the effectiveness of interventions; predictions and controls outcomes
◦Quasi-experimental-aims to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between an independent and dependent variable
◦Descriptive-Explores new areas of research
◦Correlational-Examines and explains relationships
Qualitative Method
◦Discovery of meaning rather than cause and effect.
◦Desire to understand a human or social problem.
◦Conducted in a natural setting, sampling is often purposive
◦Reality is defined by the subject / informant. ◦Researcher interacts with those being studied, the distance between researcher and subject is minimized
◦Result of research may raise more questions than answers.
◦Emphasis is on achieving an understanding
Quantitative method
Aim is to answer by either either proving or disproving a hypothesis using numeric measurement and observation
◦Directed at the discovery of relationships and cause and effect.
◦Formal, rigorous, systematic, objective process to obtain information and control for error
◦Focus is on testing theory
◦Variables are well defined and measured with numbers
◦Variables are more likely to be “dependent” or “independent”
◦Researchers attempt to control for error and bias, they select a systematic sample, and attempt to objectively assess a situation.
◦Theories and hypotheses are tested in cause-effect order.
Types of qualitative research (5)
Phenomenological- describes the “lived experience”
Grounded theory-Formulates, tests, and refines theories
Ethnographic- depth immersion in a specified culture
Exploratory descriptive qualitative- Describing an issue or problem that will need further development of interventions or programs.
Historical- Examines events of the past; uses primary and secondary sources
Concepts are
◦labels that we assign to objects or events to aid in communication about important phenomena
◦building blocks of theories
◦Theory development guides nursing practice, nursing research, nursing administration & management, and nursing education.
What is nursing theory
◦term given to the body of knowledge that is used to support nursing practice.
◦a framework designed to organize knowledge and explain phenomena in nursing, at a more concrete and specific level.
◦a set of concepts, definitions, relationships, and assumptions or propositions derived from nursing models or from other disciplines and project a purposive, systematic view of phenomena by designing specific inter-relationships among concepts for the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and /or prescribing
What is a nursing philosophy
◦Statement of foundational and universal assumptions, beliefs, and principles about the nature of knowledge and thought (epistemology) and the nature of entities represented in the metaparadigm (i.e., nursing practice and human health [ontology])
◦Provides perspectives for practice, scholarship, and research
Nursing models:
are conceptual models, constructed from theories and concepts
Conceptual model
◦Made up of concepts and propositions
◦They represent ways of thinking about a problem or ways of representing how complex things work the way that they do.
◦Models may draw on a number of theories to help understand a particular problem in a certain setting or context.
◦Models are not always as specific as a theory.
Define construct
A phenomena that cannot be observed and must be inferred. Constructs are concepts developed or adopted for use in a particular theory. The key concepts of a given theory are its constructs.
**the KEY concepts used in theory are the constructs
Define proposition
statement of relationship between concepts
Define variables
◦Variables are the operational forms of constructs. They define the way a construct is to be measured in a specific situation.
◦Match variables to constructs when identifying what needs to be assessed during evaluation of a theory-driven program.
Define Middle range theory
a testable theory that contains a limited number of variables, and is limited in scope as well, yet is of sufficient generality to be useful with a variety of clinical research questions.
Define paradigm
Model that explains the linkages of science, philosophy, and theory accepted and applied
Organized perception
Organizing framework that contains concepts, theories, assumptions , values , beliefs and principles that helps discipline to interpret subject matter
Define conceptual/theoretical framework
- based on phenomenon of interest
- narrative description of a concept/theory
- concept is abstract and building block for a theory
- set of interrelated concepts that symbolically represents and conveys a mental image of a phenomenon
ex: spirituality-it is a synthesis of personal, self-expressed beliefs and activities of essence of being that balances and connects other dimensions and domains of human traits and health
Define operational
- it is a measurement
ex: spirituality-using functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-spirituality, participants were asked to rate feelings and thoughts about spirituality experienced within last seven days.
Define theoretical
Use your previous definition/ from author [developer] unless changed.
Epistemology
The study of the theory of knowledge
What do we know?
what is the extent of our knowledge?
Nursing epistemology are ways of knowing in nursing. It focuses on four fundamental ways of knowledge; empirical knowledge, esthetic knowledge, personal knowledge, and ethical knowledge
What kind of science is nursing
applied
-draws from/synthesized from pure, natural and human sciences, including physiology, human health and biology.
nursing science focuses on what 4 domains
person, environment, health, and nursing
What is the aim of nursing science?
Nursing science is aimed to understand and explain human responses and develop knowledge that continues to improve the science.
What doe the IOM report (2010) state?
it is imperative for nursing to lead in the healthcare industry, be attentive to primary care and prevention, inter-professional collaboration/coordination
Define Person
refers to a being composed of physical, intellectual, biochemical, spiritual and psychosocial needs; a holistic , integrated being in the world; and a human being who is greater than the sum of his parts.
