Theory Practice Gap
There has been an argument that there is more knowledge put forwards by numerous theories than what nurses actually put into practice. This is what other scholars have referred to as theory-practice gap. There are people who believe that nursing as a profession has not been able to achieve its ideal position because it has not utilized the knowledge that is already available in their practice. The argument that practitioners have failed to maximize the use of the available knowledge is not true. According to Georgeie (2011), theorists have given various approaches in which nurses can approach their tasks based on different situations. This scholar says that the knowledge given by these theorists have been helpful in advancing nursing as a profession. These theorists have helped in explaining various situations that previously raised controversy, making this field more interesting.
However, it is important to understand that some theories that have been put forth by some scholars may as well remain just theories that cannot be put into practice. For instance, some theories forget the fact that nurses are human beings with all the feelings that a normal human being has. Such theories would propose an ideal situation that may not be practiced under normal circumstances. It is important to ensure that a theory appreciates the very nature of a human being. If it fails in this, then such a theory may not be put to test. It is, therefore, very unfair to condemn the practitioners that the knowledge they use is less as compared to what is available. This is because not all the available knowledge can be put into practice.
Barriers of Knowledge in Nursing
Until recently, the nursing profession was considered a preserve for women. In fact, Basavanthappa (2007) says that nurses were commonly known as ‘sisters’ emphasizing the gender bias in this field. This seriously affected the availability of knowledge in this field. It is true that in the current society, both men and women have accepted the need to have a society where members are not judged by their gender but on their competence. However, the truth of the matter is that the field of research has and still is dominated by men. Men majorly put most of the theories in various fields forth. In the current society, women are also coming up as strong researchers, but they are still outnumbered by men. This means that when a profession such as nursing is perceived as a career for women, men will avoid venturing into it.
They will venture into other fields perceived as male-dominated. This has inhibited the growth of nursing as a knowledge-based profession. Others have been viewing nurses as mere assistants of doctors in the medical sector. They do not consider nursing as an independent profession, which is as important as that of doctors. To ensure the growth of this profession, it is important to ensure that this perception is eliminated. There is a need to ensure that society understands what nursing is and that it is not a preserve for women. Both men and women should venture into this field as both researchers and practitioners. Above all, the practitioners are advised to participate in research and try to develop theories regarding nursing. This is because practitioners are in high chances of coming up with theories that will be practical.
References
Basavanthappa, B. T. (2007). Nursing theories. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers.
Georgeie, J. B. (2011). Nursing theories: The base for professional nursing practice. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.