THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING

A set of practice flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on the historical development, structure, and application of nursing theory.

Florence Nightingale

Founder of modern nursing; established the first secular nursing school at St. Thomas' Hospital (1860); promoted hygiene, sanitation, statistics, and formal nursing education.

Curriculum Era (1900-1940s)

Focus on what content nursing students should study; standardization of diploma curricula; move from hospital-based diploma programs toward higher education.

Research Era (1950-1970s)

Focus on nursing research and what to study; problem-centered studies; early research often isolated and lacking a unified knowledge base.

Graduate Education Era (1950-1970s overlap)

Emphasis on knowledge needed for advanced practice; development of master's and doctoral education; integration of knowledge through graduate programs.

Theory Era (1980-1990s)

Emphasis on theory development and testing; recognition of nursing as a discipline with its own concepts; introduction of metaparadigm (person, health, environment, nursing) and related models.

Theory Utilization Era (21st Century)

Emphasis on applying framework theories to practice, research, education, and administration; use of middle-range theories to generate evidence for quality care.

Metaparadigm of Nursing

The four core concepts that define nursing knowledge: person, health, environment, and nursing.

Fawcett’s Double Helix

A metaphor for the interdependent relationship between theory and research; theory and research inform and support each other.

Nursing as Discipline vs Profession

Discipline: branch of knowledge with its own theories and methods; Profession: applies specialized knowledge to serve society, with standards and certification.

Criteria for Professional Status of Nursing

a) Well-defined, specialized knowledge; b) grows via scientific method; c) education in higher education; d) vital services; e) autonomous in policy; f) attracts individuals of high intellect and service; g) freedom of action and ongoing professional growth.

Nursing Philosophies

Sets forth the meaning of nursing phenomena through analysis and reasoning; provides a basis for subsequent development.

Nursing Conceptual Models

Nursing works by theorists organized into conceptual models or frameworks to guide content and practice.

Nursing Theories

Derived from nursing philosophies or conceptual models; more concrete and may be specific to particular aspects of practice.

Middle-Range Theory

More specific and concrete than grand theories; testable propositions addressing particular nursing practice questions; examples include Leininger, Benner, Pender, Kolcaba.

Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Emphasizes the influence of the environment on health, including clean air, water, cleanliness, light, and warmth.

Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory

People perform self-care; nursing assists when deficits occur to restore self-care and independence.

Rogers’ Science of Unitary Beings

Human beings and environment are energy fields in mutual interaction; health arises from patterns of energy flow.

Watson’s Theory of Human Caring

Caring is central to nursing; emphasizes transpersonal relationships and caring processes.

Leininger’s Culture Care Theory

Culture care diversity and universality; culturally congruent care improves outcomes.

Benner’s From Novice to Expert

Stages of nursing proficiency, from novice to expert, based on experience and skill development.

Pender’s Health Promotion Model

Focuses on factors that influence individuals’ health-promoting behaviors and motivation.

Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory

Comfort as the holistic, immediate sense of relief and ease across physical, psychospiritual, environmental, and sociocultural domains.

Grand vs Middle-Range vs Practice-Level Theories

Grand theories are broad and abstract; middle-range theories are narrower and testable; practice-level theories are very specific to interventions and settings.

Significance of Theory for Nursing

Theory provides the discipline with focus, guides research and practice, organizes concepts, and supports professional status.

Theory Guides Practice and Research

Nursing theories guide assessment, planning, interventions, evaluation; inform education, policy, and evidence-based practice.

Florence Nightingale

Founder of modern nursing; established the first secular nursing school at St. Thomas' Hospital (1860); promoted hygiene, sanitation, statistics, and formal nursing education.

Curriculum Era (1900-1940s)

Focus on what content nursing students should study; standardization of diploma curricula; move from hospital-based diploma programs toward higher education.

Research Era (1950-1970s)

Focus on nursing research and what to study; problem-centered studies; early research often isolated and lacking a unified knowledge base.

Graduate Education Era (1950-1970s overlap)

Emphasis on knowledge needed for advanced practice; development of master's and doctoral education; integration of knowledge through graduate programs.

Theory Era (1980-1990s)

Emphasis on theory development and testing; recognition of nursing as a discipline with its own concepts; introduction of metaparadigm (person, health, environment, nursing) and related models.

Theory Utilization Era (21st Century)

Emphasis on applying framework theories to practice, research, education, and administration; use of middle-range theories to generate evidence for quality care.

Metaparadigm of Nursing

The four core concepts that define nursing knowledge: person, health, environment, and nursing.

Fawcett’s Double Helix

A metaphor for the interdependent relationship between theory and research; theory and research inform and support each other.

Nursing as Discipline vs Profession

Discipline: branch of knowledge with its own theories and methods; Profession: applies specialized knowledge to serve society, with standards and certification.

Criteria for Professional Status of Nursing

a) Well-defined, specialized knowledge; b) grows via scientific method; c) education in higher education; d) vital services; e) autonomous in policy; f) attracts individuals of high intellect and service; g) freedom of action and ongoing professional growth.

Nursing Philosophies

Sets forth the meaning of nursing phenomena through analysis and reasoning; provides a basis for subsequent development.

Nursing Conceptual Models

Nursing works by theorists organized into conceptual models or frameworks to guide content and practice.

Nursing Theories

Derived from nursing philosophies or conceptual models; more concrete and may be specific to particular aspects of practice.

Middle-Range Theory

More specific and concrete than grand theories; testable propositions addressing particular nursing practice questions; examples include Leininger, Benner, Pender, Kolcaba.

Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Emphasizes the influence of the environment on health, including clean air, water, cleanliness, light, and warmth.

Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory

People perform self-care; nursing assists when deficits occur to restore self-care and independence.

Rogers’ Science of Unitary Beings

Human beings and environment are energy fields in mutual interaction; health arises from patterns of energy flow.

Watson’s Theory of Human Caring

Caring is central to nursing; emphasizes transpersonal relationships and caring processes.

Leininger’s Culture Care Theory

Culture care diversity and universality; culturally congruent care improves outcomes.

Benner’s From Novice to Expert

Stages of nursing proficiency, from novice to expert, based on experience and skill development.

Pender’s Health Promotion Model

Focuses on factors that influence individuals’ health-promoting behaviors and motivation.

Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory

Comfort as the holistic, immediate sense of relief and ease across physical, psychospiritual, environmental, and sociocultural domains.

Grand vs Middle-Range vs Practice-Level Theories

Grand theories are broad and abstract; middle-range theories are narrower and testable; practice-level theories are very specific to interventions and settings.

Significance of Theory for Nursing

Theory provides the discipline with focus, guides research and practice, organizes concepts, and supports professional status.

Theory Guides Practice and Research

Nursing theories guide assessment, planning, interventions, evaluation; inform education, policy, and evidence-based practice.

Practice-Level Theories

Highly specific theories developed to guide nursing interventions within a particular practice setting or patient population.

Purpose of Nursing Conceptual Models

To provide broad organizational structures that define the nursing domain and guide the development of specific theories.

What is the key insight of Fawcett’s Double Helix?

It illustrates the ongoing, reciprocal relationship where research validates and refines theory, and theory guides and gives meaning to research findings.

The development and testing of nursing theories, establishing nursing as a distinct