Introduction to Nursing Theories and Philosophy of Science Practice Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the history of nursing theory, historical eras, conceptual frameworks, metaparadigms, philosophical perspectives, ways of knowing, and theories by Nightingale, Watson, Benner, and Eriksson.

Theory

An organized system of knowledge composed of concepts, propositions, definitions, and assumptions intended to explain a set of facts, events, or phenomena.

Curriculum Era

The historical period from $1900$ to $1940s$ that addressed what prospective nurses should study to learn how to be a nurse.

Research Era

A period from $1950$ to $1970s$ where nurse leaders arrived at a common understanding of the scientific age and embraced higher education.

Graduate Education Era

The period from $1950$ to $1970s$ where Master’s degree programs in nursing emerged and the development of nursing knowledge became a major force.

Theory Era

The period from $1980$ to $1990s$ characterized by the proliferation of Nursing Doctoral Programs and the introduction of new theory development.

Theory Utilization Era

The historical era of the $21st$ century that restores the centrality of nursing practices and recognizes theory and research as tools of practice.

American Journal of Nursing (AJN)

The first national organ of communication of nurses, launched in October $1990$.

Abstract Concepts

Indirectly observed and intangible ideas that do not exist at a particular time or place, such as emotions, metaphors, and respect.

Concrete Concepts

Directly observed or tangible ideas that are defined as observable, such as vital signs, the nursing process, and statistics.

Conceptual Framework

A group of related ideas or statements that conveys a mental image of a phenomenon based on the understanding of a person or researcher.

Theoretical Framework

A highly established, testable set of concepts that holds together the structure of assumptions, principles, and rules comprising a broad concept.

Proposition

A statement that explains the relationship between different concepts and is strictly either true or false.

Paradigm

A global general framework made up of assumptions about aspects of a discipline reached by members as essential for its development.

Metaparadigms

The specific main concepts that encompass the subject matter and scope of a discipline, consisting of Person, Environment, Health, and Nursing.

Person or client

The recipient of nursing care, which include individuals, families, groups, and communities.

Environment (Metaparadigm)

The internal and external surroundings that affect the client.

Health (Metaparadigm)

The degree of wellness or well-being that the client experiences.

Nursing (Metaparadigm)

The attributes, characteristics, and actions of the nurse providing care on behalf of or in conjunction with the client.

Evidence-based practice

The process of collecting, processing, and implementing research findings into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

Rationalism

The Western philosophy view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge, exemplified by René Descartes.

Empiricism

A theory popularized by Francis Bacon stating that human knowledge comes predominantly from experiences gathered through the $5$ senses.

A priori reasoning

A method utilizing deductive logic by reasoning from cause to effect or from a generalization to a particular instance independently of experience.

A posteriori concepts

Concepts that can only be applied on the basis of experience.

Deductive Reasoning

A logical process of reasoning from the general to the specific.

Inductive Reasoning

A logical process of reasoning from the specific to the general.

Positivism

A term first used by Comte that emerged as the dominant view of modern science, focusing on empirical research and logical analysis.

Epistemology

Derived from the words 'episteme' (knowledge) and 'logos' (study), it is the study of the nature of knowledge and justified belief.

Phenomenology

A philosophical movement originating in the $20th$ century involving the direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced.

Ontology

One of the $3$ facets of knowledge development defined as the study of what exists.

Empirics

The science of nursing derived from observation and experience that is subject to the scientific method of confirming knowledge claims.

Ethics (Nursing Knowing)

The moral knowledge in nursing that addresses the notion of moral right and wrong and practical decisions of a moral nature.

Personal Knowing

The capacity to be introspective and aware of one’s inner being, involving the therapeutic use of self in interactions.

Aesthetic

The art of nursing that focuses on empathy and the spontaneous expression of the acts of doing nursing based on individual client needs.

Metatheories

Theories whose subject matters are other theories, also known as 'theories about theories.'

Micro-range Theories

The most concrete and narrow theories in scope, which are situation-specific and limited to a particular population.

Grand Theories

Theories that are broad in scope and complex, requiring further specification through research before they can be fully tested.

Middle Range Theories

Precise theories that answer specific nursing practice questions and address specifics of nursing situations.

Prescriptive Theories

Action-oriented theories that address nursing interventions and predict the consequences of specific nursing actions.

Traditional Knowledge

Nursing practice and information that is passed down from generation to generation.

Authoritative Knowledge

An idea provided by a person of authority perceived as true because of their expertise.

Scientific Knowledge

Knowledge obtained through systematic and accurate scientific methods and research.

Nutrix

The Latin origin of the word nurse, meaning 'to nourish.'

Florence Nightingale

The matriarch of modern nursing and the 'Lady with the Lamp' who defined nursing as utilizing the environment of the patient for recovery.

Environmental Theory

The theory that nurses help patients retain vitality by meeting basic needs through the control of factors like fresh air, pure water, and light.

Jean Watson

Nursing theorist born on June $10$, $1940$, known for her 'Philosophy and Theory of Transpersonal Caring.'

Transpersonal Relationship

A Watson element signifying an inter-subjective human-to-human relationship that centers consciousness intentionally on healing and harmony.

Caring Moment

The outcome of a human-to-human interaction that has the potential to create a moment of transcendence or healing.

Novice

Benner’s Stage $1$: A beginner with no experience who follows limited and inflexible rules.

Competent

Benner’s Stage $3$: A nurse with $2-3$ years of experience on the job who gains perspective from planning their own actions.

Expert

Benner’s Stage $5$: A nurse who no longer relies on rules to connect situations and whose performance is fluid, flexible, and highly proficient.

Caritas

Katie Eriksson’s concept of love and charity, where eros and agape are united as unconditional love.

Caring Communion

A form of intimate connection that characterizes caring and constitutes the context of the meaning of caring reality.

Absolute Dignity

The human dignity that Katie Eriksson defines as being granted the human being through creation.

Suffering related to care

A form of suffering experienced by being subjected to the exercise of power or not being taken seriously by caregivers.

Reconciliation

Defined by Eriksson as the drama of suffering where a new wholeness is formed from the life the human being has lost.