Theoretical Foundations of Nursing - Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards drawn from lecture notes on theoretical foundations of nursing.

Nursing

The profession focused on promoting health, preventing illness, and caring for individuals, families, and communities through the nurse’s knowledge, skills, and compassionate care.

Theory

A system of ideas intended to explain facts; organized concepts that define the scope of nursing practice and guide actions.

Nursing Theory

Related concepts derived from nursing models (often cross-disciplinary); examples include Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations and Leininger’s Transcultural Nursing.

Middle Range Theory

A less abstract theory that focuses on specific nursing practice details (population, health condition, interventions) often developed from qualitative research.

Significance of Theory in Nursing

The use of theory to guide practice, expand knowledge, apply knowledge to services, and provide autonomy and freedom in clinical action.

Phenomena

Subject matter of nursing; existing events or happenings, such as humans and their environment.

Assumptions

Core statements believed to be true by theorists and not always directly testable; e.g., paraphrase: some generalizations about learning or behavior.

Nursing Paradigm

Patterns or models showing relationships among nursing concepts; global ideas that guide understanding of nursing phenomena.

Metaparadigm in Nursing

Broad framework comprising four elements—Person, Health, Environment, and Nursing—that structure nursing practice.

Paradigm

An example or pattern of something in nursing used to organize thinking and practice.

Person (Metaparadigm element)

The recipient of nursing care (individuals, groups, families, communities) whose needs and background shape care.

Health (Metaparadigm element)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

Environment (Metaparadigm element)

Internal and external surroundings that affect the patient and health.

Nursing (Metaparadigm element)

The attributes, actions, and role of the nurse in providing care.

Conceptual Framework

A representation of ideas and relationships among concepts (e.g., how human factors relate to health outcomes).

Theoretical Models/Frameworks

Established sets of concepts that are testable and guide practice, often focusing on aspects like the person, body, and disease.

Nursing as a Science

An organized body of knowledge gained through research, using the scientific method (observation, data collection, hypothesis, experimentation, conclusions).

Nursing as an Art

Caring as a humanistic activity; empathy, compassion, therapeutic communication, and individualized human connection are core.

Knowledge

Information, skills, and expertise gained through formal or informal learning.

Philosophy

Means 'Love of Wisdom'; study of ideas about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, and the meaning of life; rooted in subjective analysis.

Conceptual Models

Nursing views or systems (e.g., Dorothy Johnson, Imogene King, Callista Roy) that organize elements of care around specific focuses.

Dorothy Johnson – Behavioral System Model

Focus on human behavior as a pattern of interacting systems within the person-and-environment context.

Imogene King – Goal Attainment

Focus on nurse–patient interaction and mutual goal setting to achieve health outcomes.

Callista Roy – Adaptation Model

Focus on how individuals adapt to changes in health conditions and environments.

Florence Nightingale

Mother of Modern Nursing; defined the environment as central to health; led sanitation reforms and battlefield nursing during the Crimean War.

Nightingale Environmental Theory

Environment and its manipulation (ventilation, warmth, light, cleanliness, noise, diet, water) influence healing and health.

Major Concepts in Nightingale’s Theory

Environment as surrounding conditions; emphasis on sanitation, air, light, cleanliness, warmth, and proper nutrition to support recovery.

Nightingale’s Theoretical Assertions

Disease can be seen as a reparative process; proper environment supports healing; nurses observe, maintain sanitation, and practice ethical patient care.

Jean Watson – Theory of Human Caring

Caring begins with presence and compassion; health is a high level of functioning; nursing aims to promote health, prevent illness, and restore health through caring.

Watson’s Caring Theory – Carative/Caritas Factors

Carative factors describe the caring process; Caritas factors emphasize love, kindness, and the spiritual dimensions of care; ten factors guide caring practice.

Watson’s 10 Carative/Caritas Factors

Foundational elements of caring (e.g., forming a trustful relationship, authentic presence, enabling self-healing, and promoting a healing environment).

Philosophy of Nursing

Reflects the love of wisdom; analyzes nursing phenomena, knowledge, truth, and values guiding practice.

Conceptual Models – Examples

Dorothy Johnson (Behavioral System Model), Imogene King (Goal Attainment), Callista Roy (Adaptation) illustrate different nursing viewpoints.

Historical Eras in Nursing Education

Curriculum Era (content to study), Research Era (growth of nursing research), Graduate Education Era (master’s and beyond), Theory Era (theory development), Theory Utilization Era (application to practice).

Rationalism

Reason-based knowledge; deductive logic used to advance understanding in nursing theories.

Empiricism

Knowledge derived from sensory experience and observation; facts guide theory development.

Nightingale – Key Contributions

Environment-focused nursing; sanitation reform; development of hospital-based nursing education; nocturnal rounds as a hallmark of care.

Nursing as Profession vs Discipline

Discipline: academic domain of knowledge; Profession: practice based on theoretical knowledge guiding competent nursing care.