This document provides an overview of nursing theory and its perspectives. It discusses how nursing as a profession requires its own body of specialized knowledge expressed through conceptual models and theories. Nursing theories and models define nursing, outline its principles, goals, functions and scope of practice. The document then describes the key components of theories including concepts, propositions, characteristics and classifications. Nursing theories are classified based on their scope, abstractness and philosophical underpinnings such as developmental, systems, interactional, descriptive, explanatory, predictive and prescriptive theories. Theories can also be categorized as metatheories, grand theories, middle-range theories or practice theories.

1. Perspectives of Nursing Theory –
An Overview
L. Anand
Lecturer,
College of Nursing,
NEIGRIHMS,
Shillong

2. INTRODUCTION
 Profession-specialized body of knowledge
 Nursing profession -relied on theories from
other disciplines.
 Nursing -Needs own body of knowledge.
 This knowledge can be expressed as
conceptual MODELS and THEORIES.

3. “ARE YOU SURE THE CURRENT RESEARCH
BASED ON “NURSING THEORIES”?

4. INTRODUCTION
Nursing Theories and models
 Define Nursing
 Principles that form the basis for practice
 Goal and functions of Nursing.
 Scope of Nursing Practice

5. CONCEPTS
 An idea of an object, property or event
 Vehicle of mental images & building blocks of
theory
Types of concepts:
Empirical, Inferential and Abstract
Proposition: statements of relationship between
concepts

6. THEORIES
 Logically interrelated concepts
 Begin as untested premises(hypotheses) and
tested through research
 Framework - to organize knowledge and explain
phenomenon in nursing.

7. CHARACTERISTICS OF
THEORY
 Logical, Simple and Generalizable
 Composed of concepts and prepositions
 Provide the bases for testable hypothesis
 Consistent with other validated theories
 Contribute to body of knowledge

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF
THEORY
 Facilitate communication, practice and
systematic thinking
 Ethical and moral structure to guide nurse
actions
 Facilitates coordinated and less fragment care
 Analyze and explain –what nurses do

9. MODELS
 Symbolic and schematic representation-Set of
interrelated concepts, mental image and
phenomenon
 Highly abstract than theories
 Deals larger and more general concept
 Use of symbols or diagrams

10. MODELS
 Describe, explain and predicts phenomenon
 Provide organized framework
 Facilitate communication and unified approach
to practice, teaching, administration and
research
 Conceptual models are based on Metaparadigm

11. METAPARADIGM
 Global and philosophical framework
 Defines and describes relationship of Major
Concepts/ideas/values
 Guides in organization of theories and models
 Four concepts: Person,Environment,Health and
Nursing

12. CLASSIFICATION OF
NURSING THEORIES
Based on range/scope/abstractness
1. Metatheory
2. Grand theories
3. Middle range theories
4. Practice theories/Micro theories

13. METATHEORY
 Theory of theories
Focus on
 generating knowledge and theory development
 Philosophical issues and methodological issues
 Criteria to analyze and evaluate theories
E.g: J.Dickoff’s and P.James’s Theory of theories

14. GRAND THEORY
 Complex and broadest in scope
 Focus on general, non specific and abstract
concepts--Concepts lack operational definitions
and not directly amenable to testing
 Can be used in variety of setting and
populations
 E.g Orem’s,Roy,Rogers

15. MIDDLE RANGE THEORY
 Simple and yet broadest in scope
 Focus on concrete, specific and least abstract
concepts—Concepts have relative operational
definitions and amenable to testing
 Can be used in variety of setting and
populations

16. MIDDLE RANGE THEORY
 Concepts and propositions specific to nursing
 Readily operationalized
 Applied in many situations
 Highly relevant to potential users
 Outcome oriented
E.g Benner’s Model of Skill acquisition in Nursing

17. PRACTICE /MICRO THEORY
 Concepts are narrowly defined, list specific goal
and action
 Least complex in nature &more specific than
middle range
 Provide specific directions and limited to
specific populations
E.g social learning theory,stress and coping

18. Characteristic Grand Theories Middle-Range Theories Practice Theories
Complexity/
abstractness, scope
Comprehensive, global
view point (all aspects of
human experience)
Less comprehensive than
grand theories, middle
view of reality
Focused on a narrow view
of reality, simple and
straightforward
Generalizibility/
specificity
Nonspecific, general
application to the discipline
irrespective of setting or
specialty area
Some generalizablity
across settings and
specialities, but more
specific than grand
theories
Linked to special
populations or an identified
field of practice
Characteristics of
concepts
Concepts abstract and not
operationally defined
Limited number of
concepts that are fairly
concrete and may be
operationally defined
Single, concrete concept
that is operationalized
Characteristics of
propositions
Propositions not always
explicit
Propositions are clearly
stated
Propositions defined
Testability
Not generally testable May generate testable
hypotheses
Goals or outcomes defined
and testable
Source of
development
Developed through
thoughtful appraisal and
careful consideration over
many years
Evolve from grand
theories, clinical practice,
literature review, practice
guidelines
Derived from practice or
deduced from middle-range
or grand theory

19. CLASSIFICATION OF
THEORIES
Based on Philosophical underpinnings
 Developmental theories
 System theories
 Interaction theories
Based on Philosophical underpinnings
 Descriptive theories
 Explanatory theories
 Predictive theories
 Prescriptive theories

20. Questions?

21. VISIT
NORTH EAST – DISCOVER
HEAVEN IN EARTH