522711
research-article2014
NSQXXX10.1177/0894318414522711Nursing Science QuarterlyKarnick / Practice Applications
Practice Applications
A Case for Nursing Theory in Practice
Nursing Science Quarterly 2014, Vol. 27(2) 117 © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0894318414522711 nsq.sagepub.com
Paula M. Karnick, RN; PhD1
Abstract The discipline of nursing is on a slippery slope with regard to the ever increasing lack of nursing theory in its work. The misguided attempt to eliminate the use of nursing theory as the underpinning of practice is degrading nursing as a viable profession, ultimately affecting patient care. A clarion call to the discipline regarding the need for theory in research and practice is required. Nursing will soon become just another set of tasks rather than the profession needed by patients and their families. Keywords nursing theory, practice, research Theory, research, and practice are the underpinning of nursing discipline. Over the past 25 years, nursing theory has become passé to some nursing professionals. Schools and educators do not feel the need to teach theory, so invariably nurses do not see the importance of theory in practice. Historians who rewrite history to serve their own purposes making truths a shadow of itself losing the lessen due to the misinterpretation of a few the atrocities of war, the truth becomes a shadow of itself and as the story morphs into something else, the lessons are lost because of the misinterpretation of a few. These few rationalize their actions and after a few generations we have a paradigm shift, not based in truth but rather as the misguided effort based on individual bias and from the perspective of others. The article you are about to read is a clearly written comparison by Doucet and Merlin looking at three distinct nursing paradigmatic perspectives using one exemplar of a patient experiencing a difficult moment in her illness. Their work highlights the critical need for basing nursing care in theory and supports the necessity for theory based nursing education. Each theory sheds light on the same moment from a different perspective. These perspectives are based on theory, research and practice. It would be foolish to assume that practice can be changed by eliminating one part of the equation. Research equals practice? What is the basis of research? The nothingness that exists when theory is removed from the equation leaves room for something that no one has yet defined. What is the explanation for those who do not teach theory? How do educators fill the void? Do educators simply gloss over the fact that there is no theory in curriculum? Or do they fill the void with another course? Perhaps the answer to these questions is; there is no answer. By all accounts practice is changing. The discipline has allowed others to set the rules, make the decisions, and change nursing not for the benefit of the patient but for the
convenience of healthcare organizations. What is nursing? That age old question has not really been answered. The profession, if still known as a profession, is in a rush to train, not educate more nurses, the scurry for the doctorate nurse practitioner (DNP) and other misguided decisions, leave one in the dark as to why the profession is changing and whom is benefitting from this change. In the haste of these decisions comes the slippery slope whereby mandates dictate precluding a valid and sound education for nurses and the lack of basic principles go by the wayside. Was there a needs assessment completed regarding the DNP? What about the elimination of nursing theory from the curriculum? Doucet and Merlin write about the importance of nursing theory and the different perspectives theory brings to healthcare for the betterment of patient care. There is importance to this valuable work. Nursing needs to continue the discourse and make the case for, not against nursing theory in the equation of healthcare. Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this column.
Funding The author received no financial support for the authorship and/or publication of this column.
1
Director of the Institute of Nursing Education, Emergency Nurses Association, Desplaines, IL Contributing Editor: Paula M. Karnick, RN, PhD, Director, Institute of Nursing Education, Emergency Nurses Association, Desplaines, IL. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from nsq.sagepub.com at NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV LIB on June 9, 2015
research-article2014
NSQXXX10.1177/0894318414522711Nursing Science QuarterlyKarnick / Practice Applications
Practice Applications
A Case for Nursing Theory in Practice
Nursing Science Quarterly 2014, Vol. 27(2) 117 © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0894318414522711 nsq.sagepub.com
Paula M. Karnick, RN; PhD1
Abstract The discipline of nursing is on a slippery slope with regard to the ever increasing lack of nursing theory in its work. The misguided attempt to eliminate the use of nursing theory as the underpinning of practice is degrading nursing as a viable profession, ultimately affecting patient care. A clarion call to the discipline regarding the need for theory in research and practice is required. Nursing will soon become just another set of tasks rather than the profession needed by patients and their families. Keywords nursing theory, practice, research Theory, research, and practice are the underpinning of nursing discipline. Over the past 25 years, nursing theory has become passé to some nursing professionals. Schools and educators do not feel the need to teach theory, so invariably nurses do not see the importance of theory in practice. Historians who rewrite history to serve their own purposes making truths a shadow of itself losing the lessen due to the misinterpretation of a few the atrocities of war, the truth becomes a shadow of itself and as the story morphs into something else, the lessons are lost because of the misinterpretation of a few. These few rationalize their actions and after a few generations we have a paradigm shift, not based in truth but rather as the misguided effort based on individual bias and from the perspective of others. The article you are about to read is a clearly written comparison by Doucet and Merlin looking at three distinct nursing paradigmatic perspectives using one exemplar of a patient experiencing a difficult moment in her illness. Their work highlights the critical need for basing nursing care in theory and supports the necessity for theory based nursing education. Each theory sheds light on the same moment from a different perspective. These perspectives are based on theory, research and practice. It would be foolish to assume that practice can be changed by eliminating one part of the equation. Research equals practice? What is the basis of research? The nothingness that exists when theory is removed from the equation leaves room for something that no one has yet defined. What is the explanation for those who do not teach theory? How do educators fill the void? Do educators simply gloss over the fact that there is no theory in curriculum? Or do they fill the void with another course? Perhaps the answer to these questions is; there is no answer. By all accounts practice is changing. The discipline has allowed others to set the rules, make the decisions, and change nursing not for the benefit of the patient but for the
convenience of healthcare organizations. What is nursing? That age old question has not really been answered. The profession, if still known as a profession, is in a rush to train, not educate more nurses, the scurry for the doctorate nurse practitioner (DNP) and other misguided decisions, leave one in the dark as to why the profession is changing and whom is benefitting from this change. In the haste of these decisions comes the slippery slope whereby mandates dictate precluding a valid and sound education for nurses and the lack of basic principles go by the wayside. Was there a needs assessment completed regarding the DNP? What about the elimination of nursing theory from the curriculum? Doucet and Merlin write about the importance of nursing theory and the different perspectives theory brings to healthcare for the betterment of patient care. There is importance to this valuable work. Nursing needs to continue the discourse and make the case for, not against nursing theory in the equation of healthcare. Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this column.
Funding The author received no financial support for the authorship and/or publication of this column.
1
Director of the Institute of Nursing Education, Emergency Nurses Association, Desplaines, IL Contributing Editor: Paula M. Karnick, RN, PhD, Director, Institute of Nursing Education, Emergency Nurses Association, Desplaines, IL. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from nsq.sagepub.com at NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV LIB on June 9, 2015
