Nursing Theories: Foundations for Nursing Practice - Essay Sample

Introduction

Every known discipline has a foundation explaining its existence, role, and implications referred to as a theory. Scholars view nursing as a discipline of its own despite being a constitute of the broader medicine discipline. Whether small or large, nursing theories have become the foundation for comprehending and guidance provided in nursing practice (Kim & Kollak, 2006). Nursing theories describe what nursing is and the reason for its practice. The most popular nursing theories in practice include grand and middle-range approaches. This paper concentrates on one grand theory, the self-care deficit nursing theory and one middle-range theory, the human caring theory in examining the utility of theoretical models in guiding research and practice in the field of nursing.

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Human caring denotes the act of humans, showing concern and kindness towards other humans. The human caring theory suggests that it is impermissible to treat human beings as objects emphasizing the interpersonal process between a patient and a caregiver. The human caring approach focuses on human caring and its implications on both the caregiver and the care patient in terms of healing potential (Rani, 2019). It is clear from this elaboration that the human caring theory focuses on interpersonal relationships between a patient and a nurse. The theory suggests that the nurse should act in a manner that promotes health and prevents illness. A nurse should have a caring attitude so that a patient can feel warmth and love, which in turn contributes to the patient's recovery and overall well-being. In guiding research, Watson's theory examines the nursing process, which includes assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation of a problem. The nursing process role lies in problem-solving and decision-making. The human caring theory is practiced by all nursing professions, for it involves compassion towards patients, an essential aspect in the nursing field.

Empathy and compassion are among human characteristics that denote the caring aspect. It makes sense that before caring for someone else that one cares for themselves first. Hagran and Fakharany (2015) explores the Self-Care Deficit Nursing theory and give its assumptions, including the need for deliberate and continuous inputs for the survival of human beings. Self-care comes in as humans have to live and function well, and therefore it is crucial to take care of themselves. Another assumption discussed in the exercise of human agency in identification and meeting of needs as a form of self-care. Humans have needs, and meeting them is an essential self-care practice. The theory also assumes that human beings can, at times, face deprivation of vital survival inputs, which could be in the form of limitations for care.

The self-care deficit nursing theory is of the suggestion that some human being groups with structured relations allocate duties of care to provide their members who face privations of essential inputs. The assumptions of the self-care deficit nursing theory indicate that human beings practice self-care for their survival and extend the care to benefit other human beings who are experiencing privations. The approach also denotes that patients wish to exercise self-care, for they believe they can attain a quick recovery if they can take care of themselves. The theory's practicality in the nursing field is where nurses understand the need to stay healthy, which brings them to extend care beyond themselves to patients who are facing privations in terms of good health.

The human caring theory by Watson has been proved useful in the nursing discipline in patients such as those in the infertile group, as explained by Ozkan et al. (2013), who was of the view that Watson's theory-based care easily guides nurses for it requires simple knowledge and skills. Ozkan et al. (2013) tested Watson's theory on infertile patient care in Turkey. They found out that nurses and infertile women created a therapeutic environment comprising of trust, Caritas processing, and authentic listening. Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory is applicable clinically and helping nurses in improving the health of patients according to Irshad Ali (2018), who believes a nurse can speed up a patient's recovery through the incorporation of the theory into practice. The theory was put to the test using a psychiatric patient, and the results proved that the supportive and educative environment created through the application of the model helped the patient to achieve self-care gradually. Interventions such as behavioral, group, and vocational therapies formed a supportive ambiance.

Middle-range theories such as Watson's human caring theory and grand theories such as Orem's Self-care deficit nursing theory improves the nursing discipline. Woo et al. (2017) advocate for the implementation of advanced nursing practice in critical and emergency care to improve outcomes of patients. Advanced nursing practice requires nurses to take full charge of caring for a patient and his or her family. Knowledge from discussed theories equips a nurse with the necessary tools to handle such a responsibility.

Conclusion

In conclusion, patients being human beings have particular needs for survival. They desire to care for themselves, attaining independence in improving their health status. Nurses, understanding the concept of self-care through proper education can create an environment helpful in patients' recoveries. Nurses need compassion and a caring attitude, which creates a good relationship between them and the patients and, in turn bearing a positive outcome for patients. Nurses advancing in their practice not only handle patients but their families as well through guidance and counseling and helping them making informed decisions on how to help a patient recover quickly. Advance nursing practice, which gives nurses more significant responsibilities, could be improved with the incorporation of grand and middle-range nursing theories such as the self-care deficit theory and the human caring theory, respectively.

References

Hagran, A., & Fakharany, E. (2015). Critique of Orem's theory. The Journal of the Middle East and North Africa Sciences, 1(5), 12-17. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5761/17009ae992dc2e2ee652cb66c03020d633f2.pdf

Irshad Ali, B. H. (2018). Application of Orem self care deficit theory on psychiatric patient. Annals of Nursing and Practice, 5(1), 1-3. Retrieved from https://www.jscimedcentral.com/Nursing/nursing-5-1093.pdf

Kim, H. S., & Kollak, I. (Eds.). (2006). Nursing theories: Conceptual and philosophical foundations (2nd ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Ozkan, I. A., Okumus, H., Buldukoglu, K., & Watson, J. (2013). A case study based on Watson's theory of human caring: Being an infertile woman in Turkey. Nursing Science Quarterly, 26(4), 352-359. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0894318413500346

Rani, U. (2019). Watson human caring theory. JNEP, 5(1), 28-31. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338621474_Watson_Human_Caring_Theory

Woo, B. F. Y., Lee, J. X. Y., & Tam, W. W. S. (2017). The impact of the advanced practice nursing role on the quality of care, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost in the emergency and critical care settings: a systematic review. Human Resources for Health, 15(63). Retrieved from https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-017-0237-9#citeas