NURS 8110: Theoretical and Scientific Foundations for Nursing Practice | Week 8

As noted throughout this course, nursing practice is unique, yet it also draws from the theoretical foundations of various disciplines.

In examining the foundations of nursing practice, it is important to consider the applicability and influence of bio-behavioral, pathophysiological, psychosocial, and environmental sciences theories. The focus of the course now shifts to an examination of interdisciplinary theories and the implications for nursing practice. This week you will investigate theories from the sociological and behavioral science.

 

Learning Objectives – Nursing Interdisciplinary Theories and Models, Part I

Students will:

• Integrate sociological and behavioral theories into advanced nursing practice

Photo Credit: [Attila Barabas]/[iStock/Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images

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Learning Resources NURS 8110: Week 8: Nursing Interdisciplinary Theories and Models, Part I

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

McEwin, M., & Wills, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing. (5th ed.) Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health.

• Chapter 13, “Theories From the Sociologic Sciences”
• Chapter 14, “Theories From the Behavioral Sciences”Chapter 13 and Chapter 14 discuss those theories from the social and behavioral sciences that are applicable to nursing and health care.

Carnegie, E., & Kiger, A. (2009). Being and doing politics: An outdated model or 21st century reality? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(9), 1976–1984. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.05084.x

This article uses critical social theory to analyze the political role of nurses. The article argues that nurses must be prepared for political participation in national and local contexts in order to encourage policy analysis and community engagement within nursing practice.

Conrad, P., & Barker, K. (2010). The social construction of illness: Key Insights and policy implications. Journal of Health and Social Behavior: Special Issue, 51, S67–S79. doi: 10.1177/0022146510383495

This article examines the history of the social construction of illness and discusses different methods in which the concept of illness is developed in different cultures.

Ford, C. L., & Airhihenbuwa, C. O. (2010). Critical race theory, race equity, and public health: Toward antiracism praxis. American Journal of Public Health, 100(S1), S30–S35. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.171058.

This article applies a theory from legal studies to racial inequality issues in health care in order to improve social consciousness and quality of care.

Kelly, C. (2008). Commitment to health theory. Research & Theory for Nursing Practice, 22(2), 148–160.

This article reviews the Commitment to Health (CTH) theory, the theory’s assumptions, and application to nursing and health care.

Ryan, P. (2009). Integrated theory of health behavior change: Background and intervention development. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 23(3), 161–170.

This article examines the application of health behavior theory to clinical practice.

Optional Resources

Byrd, M. (2006). Social exchange as a framework for client-nurse interaction during public health nursing maternal-child home visits. Public Health Nursing, 23(3), 271–276. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2006.230310.x

Mohammed, S. (2006). Scientific inquiry. (Re)examining health disparities: critical social theory in pediatric nursing. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 11(1), 68–71. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6155.2006.00045.x

Discussion: Use of Psychosocial Theories in Nursing

Post your responses to the Discussion based on the course requirements.

Your Discussion postings should be written in standard edited English and follow APA guidelines as closely as possible given the constraints of the online platform. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure your in-text citations and reference list are correct. Initial postings must be 250–350 words (not including references).

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 

Nursing Interdisciplinary Theories and Models

Introduction

The field of nursing has many different theories and models that nurses use to help their patients. These are some examples:

Caring theory

The theory of caring is a philosophy that nurses must have empathy and compassion for patients, who are viewed as individuals with unique needs. The theory was developed by Virginia Henderson in the 1950s, and it is based on her observations about how nurses responded to their patients.

The idea behind this theory is that people have a need to be cared for by others, even if they don’t realize it at first. For example, if someone has been sick or injured in some way, they may become less self-aware than usual because they’re not feeling well or thinking clearly enough on their own accord anymore—and so there’s a certain urgency involved in helping them toward recovery (as opposed to just treating symptoms). This urgency can lead them into situations where someone else needs help more than they do themselves—and thus requires an additional level of support from other people around them (such as family members or friends).

Interpersonal relations theory

Interpersonal relations theory (IR) is a human development theory that focuses on the interpersonal relationships between individuals. The theory of IR was first proposed by Mary Ainsworth in 1958, and it has since been expanded to include other aspects of human development.

Theory of Interpersonal Relations (TIR) is an approach that emphasizes the importance of relationships within the individual’s life.[1] This approach differs from other theories because it focuses on how people interact with others through their everyday lives as opposed to treating them as separate entities.[2] TIR also emphasizes self-concepts, meaning how one sees themselves or feels about themselves in relation to others[3].

Transpersonal Caring Relationship

The transpersonal relationship is a caring, respectful, and intentional relationship between an individual and their Higher Power. This can be done through prayer, meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices.

The nurse needs to be aware of their own spirituality and the spirituality of their patient by being open to receiving guidance from Spirit as well as listening for messages from your inner voice (your intuition). The nurse must also be able to identify when there are spiritual needs in order for them or someone else who may not have a religious affiliation but feels there is something more happening than just physical illness or injury.”

Person/Environment/Health and Nursing Model

The person/environment/health and nursing model is a four-factor system that focuses on the individual’s physical, psychosocial, economic, and spiritual health. It emphasizes the importance of assessing each person’s environment as well as their own behaviors to determine whether they are at risk for certain conditions such as cancer or heart disease.

The nurse plays an important role in this model because they help people maintain or improve their overall health through education about nutrition and exercise habits; by providing support during times when they’re feeling depressed or overwhelmed; by teaching them how to cope well with chronic illness (e.g., diabetes); and by advocating for them when necessary (e.g., getting sick leave).

Health Promotion Model

The Health Promotion Model is a framework for health education and promotion. It is based on the premise that individuals can improve their health by making healthy choices and taking part in healthy behaviors such as physical activity, nutrition, stress management, social support systems, environmental changes (e.g., smoking cessation or recycling), etc.

The health promotion model provides an integrated framework for addressing disease prevention through the primary care setting including:

• Health promotion within primary care settings (e.g., clinical practice guidelines)

• Health promotion conducted by nurses at various levels of practice (e.g., nurse educators)

Roper-Logan-Tierney Model of Nursing

The Roper-Logan-Tierney model of nursing is a theoretical framework that focuses on the individual, family, community and environment.

The Roper-Logan-Tierney Model of Nursing was developed by the researchers Karen L. Roper, Glenn D. Logan and Helen M. Tierney in 1967 as a way to describe how nurses can best meet the needs of patients and families (Roper et al., 2001). This theory involves four main ideas:

• Individualism – The focus is on individuals rather than groups or organizations; it emphasizes human relationships between practitioner and client/patient/family member.* Familyism – Provides support for families who need help coping with illness or death.* Communityism – Emphasizes caring for others within your own community instead of focusing just on one individual at a time.* Environmentism – Includes environmental factors such as pollution levels near where someone lives

These are a few models and theories in nursing that nurses use with patients.

The following are a few models and theories in nursing that nurses use with patients.

• Nursing diagnosis (ID) is used to describe the patient’s condition by using multiple criteria, such as physical findings and history.

• Behavioral assessment (BA) allows you to observe the patient’s behavior and actions while they are being treated so that you can determine how well they understand what you’re saying or doing for them, or if there is something else going on that needs attention.

• Preceptorship programs pair experienced nurses with new ones who want more training before starting their careers as professionals in this field of medicine; preceptors serve as mentors by acting as guides through their own experiences working at different institutions (such as hospitals).

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many models and theories in nursing that nurses use with their patients. There are many more out there, but these are some of the most common ones. The key takeaways from this article include: Interpersonal Relations Theory, Person/Environment/Health and Nursing Model, Caring Theory and Transpersonal Caring Relationship.