Theory and concepts in nursing

Question 1

What is a theory?

Answer 1

A statement that defines concepts, the relationship bw the concepts, and makes assumptions.
- To explains and predict a phenomena

Question 2

Conceptual frameworks and models are a

Answer 2

show the NETWORK of concepts and their relationships

Question 3

Why are theories important in nursing

Answer 3

Nursing theories make nursing a discipline

Question 4

List the order of theory development in Nursing

Answer 4

Silent knowledge (rules guided by doctors)
Received knowledge (post-secondary education and licensing required)
Subjective knowledge (research begun on how nurses nurse.)
Procedural knowledge (nursing becomes a discipline by frameworks, procedures and methodologies)
Constructed knowledge (nursing practice and concept become a priority in research)
Integrated Knowledge (nursing becomes a multiparadigm discipline)

Question 5

Theories are classified by scope into

Answer 5

• Metatheory
• Grand theory
• Middle range theory
• Practice theory

Question 6

What is a metatheory?

Answer 6

• Is a theory about a theory.

- example: asks what kind of knowledge should drive the discipline and what kind of research should support it

Question 7

What are Grand theories

Answer 7

• A theory that has abstract concepts (caring, existence, personhood)
• Large scope and focuses on the arrangement of concepts

Question 8

What are middle Range theories

Answer 8

A specific theory that describes concepts, explains relationships bw concepts and predicts the effect of a concept on another.

• The concepts are operationalized and often can be empirically tested
• Not specific enough to be applied to everyone

Question 9

What are practice theories

Answer 9

• Theory that tell us how to do something
• Most specific theory
• Concepts are tangible

Question 10

Theories are classified by purpose/type into:

Answer 10

• Descriptive theories (describe, observe, name concepts,
  Explanatory theories (explain how concepts relate)
• Predictive theories (predicts relationship between concepts under specific circumstances)
• Prescriptive theories (procedural)

Question 11

What is a metaparadigm

Answer 11

• A summary of the intellectual and social mission of a discipline and place boundaries on the subject matter of the discipline
• The most abstract component of nursing knowledge

Question 12

What is the nursing metaparadigm

Answer 12

The concepts:
- person
- health
- environment
- nursing
all under the concept, caring.

Question 13

List different kinds of concepts

Answer 13

• Enumerative: always present
• Associate: present only in some conditions
• Relational: dependent on the other concept to exist
• Statistical concept: involves rates
• Summative: Entirety of a complex phenomena (ex. health)

Question 14

Name ways of clarifying and distinguishing concepts

Answer 14

• Concept delineation: separating to similar concepts
• Concept comparison: Clarify competing concepts
• Concept clarification: clarifying old concepts whose meaning is used wrong
• Concept exploration: introduce new concept or recycle old ones
• Concept clarification: refine old concept that have unclear shared meanings

Question 15

What is Conceptual expansion

Answer 15

• Expanding the use of concepts beyond current understanding to explore newer situations or phenomena that remain poorly understood.
• Using different perspectives to examine existing concepts