Nursing Theorieshttp://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/nursing_theories_overview.

What is a theory?

• -a group of related concepts to guide practice• -a set of interrelated concepts offering a systematic view of a situation

aiming for explanation or predicting

May use deductive reasoning : goes from general to the specific inductive reasoning : specific to broaderhttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/dedind.php

Importance of nursing theories http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/nursing_theories_overview

• -”describe, predict and explain the phenomenon of nursing” (Chinn & Jacobs 1978)

-” theory is important because it helps us to decide what we know and what we need to know” (Parsons 1949)

-”helps to distinguish what should for the basis of practice by explicitly describing nursing”

- enables review of professional boundaries

Common concepts in nursing theory

The person / patient / client

• The environment

• Health

• Nursing goals/ roles / functions