Building Nursing Theory

Nursing Theories: The Building Blocks of Nursing Often deemed unimportant or irrelevant in the clinical setting, nursing theory appears to hold little importance to the world of nursing, but in actuality, it can provide a framework for practice and guide the nurse in finding his or her purpose within the profession (Colley, 2003). Parker (2003) describes nursing theory as, “a notion or an idea that explains experience, interprets observation, describes relationships, and projects outcomes” (p.4). Colley (2003) states that a central theme of nursing is caring, and since this concept is subjective, developing theory is imperative in order to provide an accurate assessment of nursing practice. Two theories that attempt to do this are Jean Watson’s

They are considered to be the foundation of nursing (Watson, 2005). The processes entail forming selfless values in order to provide supportive care, being attentive to the belief system of the patient, showing understanding of oneself therefore being able to incorporate it into patient relations, developing a trustworthy relationship with the patient, accepting the patient’s feelings as valid emotions, and problem solving in all aspects of care, which is a similar aspect to the personal theory’s viewpoint of critical thinking (Watson, 2005). Other processes include adapting teaching styles and methods to meet the patient’s needs, creating an environment that is comfortable and healthy to promote healing, providing assistance with daily care which also promotes healing, and being attentive to the soul and its well-being (Watson, 2005). Watson (2005) compares these statements to love invoking, which “allows love and caring to come together for a new form of deep transpersonal caring,” which “connotates inner healing for self and others” (p.

Through the process of nurturing care, Hall states that the patient is more likely to examine themselves as a whole and make greater strides toward recovery (Touhy & Birnbach, 2005; as cited in Touhy & Birnbach, 2005). In addition to the patient discovering themselves, the nurse who discovers his or herself can develop trust with the patient as well so that they can work with them, not for them (Touhy & Birnbach, 2005). This idea differs from the aforementioned personal nursing philosophy in that it addresses the cause and effect relationship between the nurse and patient, not just separately, and it shows how the nurse’s actions can affect the patient’s outcomes significantly (Touhy & Birnbach, 2005). Summed up, Hall theorizes that the “role of professional nursing was enacted through the provision of care that facilitates the interpersonal process and invited the patient to learn to reach the core of his difficulties while seeing him through the cure that is possible” (Touhy & Birnbach, 2005,