CHAPTER I

Introduction to Nursing Theory:

Its History and
Significance
• Florence Nightingale
– envisioned nurses as a body of
educated women
– organizes service and caring for
wounded in wartime ( Crimean War )
– establishment of Nursing school in
London
( St. Thomas Hospital ) pioneering
activities in nursing practice and
education
• Nursing as a Science:

* Apprenticeship Model
- nursing practice was
based on principles and traditions
that were handed down through
practice seen by Florence during
her time .
• Curriculum Era
–what should nurses study to be
a nurse
–content of the curriculum to
learn, how to be a nurse.
–standardized curriculum.
• Research Era

- conceptual connections and

theoretical framework

- role of nurses; are they important

/ needed in our life as individual
Graduate Education Era

- Baccalaureate Degree Nurses, need

to have masters to meet the public
need for specialized clinical nursing
practice.

- nurses have importatnt role.

• Theory Era
- natural outgrowth/ product of research and
graduate education era.
- Doctoral Programs = increase research
works and knowledge development.
- How do these works guide nurses?
- The nursing paradigm provided
perspectives for nursing practice,
administration, education, research and
theory development.
• Theory Era
• Fawcett classified nursing models as
paradigms with in a more organized /
especialzed meta- paradigm of :
– Person
– Environment
– Health
– Nursing Concepts

FOCUS NURSING WORKS SHIFTED TO

PATIENT AS THE FOCUS

• Theory Utilization Era
- theory and valuing of a nursing
framework for thought and action of
nursing practice.
- practiced wa realized.
- restored a balance between research
and practice for knowledge development
in the discipline of nursing.

KNOWLEDGE = QUALITY CARE

• Significance of Nursing Theory

• Discipline - branch of education.

– theoretical works leading to higher level of
education and practice
– Functional Focus ( what nurses do ) >>>
Knowledge Focus or what nurses know and
how they use them for thinking and decision
making while taking care of a patient.
– Example : Nursing
• Discipline
• Knowledge of persons, health and
environment forms the basis for nursing as
a discipline
• " Kuhn" - stated, "the study of paradigms is
what mainly prepares the student for
membership in particular scientific
community with which he / she will
practice. By studying and practicing with
them, the clients or community involved
learn their trade."
• Profession
- Knowledge of that decipline and
accompanying practice abilities
- recognition and respect for their scholarly
disciplined contribution to the health of
society.
- Criteria for the development of the
Professional status of nursing :
1. utilizes in its practice a well defined and
well organized body of specialized
knowledge.
Profession
2. Constantly enlarges the knowledge it
uses and improves its techniques of
education and service thru scientific
method.
3. entrusts the education of its practitioners
to universities/ colleges.
4. Applies knowledge in practical services
important to community welfare.
5. functions autonomously in developing
professional policy.
• Profession

6. attracts individuals with intellectual and

personal qualities of intensifying service.

7. strives to compensate nurses by providing

freedom of action, opportunity for
continuous professional growth and
economic security.
• "Alligood" - Nursing practice settings are
complex and the amount of data
confronting nurses is virtually endless.
Nurses must analyze a vast amount of
information about each patient and decide
what to do. A theoretical approach helps
practicing nurses not to be overwhelmed
by the mass of information and to progress
through the nursing process in an orderly
manner. Theory enables them to organize
and understand what happens in practice
to analyse patient situations critically for...
• Profession
– "Alligood"
• clinical decision making; to plan care and
propose appropriate nursing interventions
and to predict patient outcomes from the
care and evaluate its effectiveness.

• " use of NURSING PROCESS.