The practical purpose of the nursing theory is to prepare the highly qualified professional, who has a good understanding of this subject. The nursing practice is a multifarious variety of situations, where a huge amount of theoretical knowledge. In their daily activity, the practicing nurses have to provide the patient with the qualified medical care, taking into account the patients personal problems and requirements, on the basis of the theoretical methods of the date acquisition concerning the patients health condition. For me as a nurse, the nursing theory is of great importance, as it provides me with the essential knowledge in order not to be misinformed with a large bulk of data. The theory helps me to properly analyze the patients condition before the clinical diagnostic is made. Philosophies of nursing, its conceptual models and theories provide the nurse with a view of a patient and a guide for the data conversion, evaluation of evidence, and decisions of actions to take in practice (Butts & Rich, 2011)
The understanding of the historical processes of the development of the nursing theory is important for the understanding of the theoretical works of this discipline. Until 1950, when the nursing appeared as a science, the nursing practice was based on the traditions that were handed down through an apprenticeship model of education (Alligood, 2010). In spite the fact that, some of the practicing nurses realized the necessity of the formation of the nursing as a separate academic discipline, in their practice they relied mostly on their professional heritage, rather than on the theoretical knowledge.
With the beginning of the curriculum era, many questions concerning the content of the nursing theory were raised. In this period the first normalized curriculum of the nurses study was conducted. As for me, every nurse should have a distinct understanding of the meaning of the studied subjects and their importance for the profession.
The researches distinguish such four main concepts of the metaparadigm, as a person, an environment, a health, and a nursing, to be the basic principles for the understanding of the content of the nursing.
A person is an individual who needs nursing. As a nurse, I view my patients as the unique and complex individuals. I try to establish the mutual dialogue in the nurse-patient relationships and the authentic connections with my patients.
By the meaning of the environment, I understand the environmental conditions, which have an impact upon the patient and its health. It includes personal, social and national beliefs and values, customs and expectations.
By the concept of the health, I understand the sphere, in which the process of nursing is taking place.
The notion of a nursing I understand not only as a process of the nursing itself , but as a specific approach, combining all the complexity of medical experience and knowledge, all the practice and theory, in order to provide the patient with a good treatment. I perceive nursing as a moral practice, purposing the restoration of others, not personal gain or profit (Austin, 2011).
The nursing is described by the experts as a circle of the research, the practice and the theory, with the ability of entrance into this circle from any point. To my opinion, the given system lacks several important elements, such as the personal experience, the mutual relations between the patients and the nurse and others. Moreover, as to my opinion, it is rather difficult to enter this circle form any point. Before starting the practice, some kind of a research should be made. The correct research, in its turn, is impossible without the appropriate basic knowledge, or in other words without the theory.
Nursing is too complex discipline to be reduced to the only one application area. It is a specialized field of practice, based upon the theoretical structure of the science and accompanying practice abilities. (George, 2011).
Reference List
Alligood, M. (2010). The nature of knowledge needed for nursing practice. In M.R. Alligood (Ed.). Nursing theory: Utilization and Application, 3-15
Austin, W. (2011).The incommensurability of nursing as a practice and the customer service model: an evolutionary threat to the discipline. Nursing Philosophy, 12(3), 158-166
Butts, J., & Rich, K. (2011). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice. Sudbury, (MA): Jones & Bartlett.
George, J. (2011). Nursing theories. Upper Saddle River, (NJ): Pearson.