Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession? Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Nowadays nursing is an important profession that requires specialists both to have compassion for people suffering from health problems and be highly skilled and knowledgeable. Researchers note that during the 20th century, crucial changes were brought to the sphere (Aligood, 2017). Nursing was recognized as a science, and instead of a traditional model of learning from more experienced nurses, a science-based approach to the training of the would-be specialists in this occupation was implemented (Aligood, 2017). Although working on the improvement of practical skills only with little attention paid to theory might be regarded as the right way to become a professional, theoretical concepts are crucial for the nursing practice.

Knowing the theory is an indispensable prerequisite for a person to be successful as a nurse. According to Aligood (2017), “not only is theory essential for the existence of nursing as an academic discipline, it is also vital to the practice of professional nursing” (p. 7). Indeed, theoretical ideas in the sphere of nursing form a great base for practice because they give specialists useful recommendations and directions and stimulate critical thinking (Aligood, 2017).

Being good at theory can help a nurse to make the right decision on how to communicate with patients in a particular situation or how to act in an emergency case. Sometimes, these abilities of a specialist might play a key role in a patient’s restoration to health and strength or even save lives. Hence, it is possible to note that the skills motivated by theory have a significant part in a nurse’s effectiveness, which, in its turn, is crucial to public health safeguarding (Smith & Liehr, 2018). For this reason, learning theoretical concepts is an integral part of nurses’ education that has a great influence on their practice.

Throughout his or her career, a specialist in the field under analysis should also pay attention to theory in order to be able to address the needs of the changing world. In fact, medicine is constantly evolving, new technologies and methods of treatment are being implemented, and it is very important for a nurse to be informed about them (Aligood, 2017). For many situations, a general understanding of processes and ideas, not just an ability to conduct specific operations, is required (Ray, 2020).

Such comprehension can only be achieved if a person has acquired high-level knowledge of the theoretical framework. Using a system of assumptions, ideas, and hypotheses provided by theory a specialist can speed up his or her professional development and easily get used to the new techniques and approaches in medicine (Ray, 2020). Hence, a nurse’s possessing theoretical information and getting more knowledge might be vital to their long and successful career and fulfillment of professional responsibilities.

To sum up, it is important to press the point that the profession of a nurse has changed significantly over the last century. In the education of nurses, the focus has been shifted from the experience of previous generations of specialists to the scientific approach and knowledge. Indeed, theoretical ideas, concepts, structures, and hypotheses are crucial to the practice of a nurse. The reason is that knowing and understanding theory serves as a basis for practice and is to be applied to patient care. Besides, it helps a professional to address the changing needs of the modern world and have a long career.

References

Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing theorists and their work (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Ray, L. (2020).. Web.

Smith, M. J., & Liehr, P. R. (Eds.). (2018). Middle range theory for nursing (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, February 10). Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession? https://ivypanda.com/essays/is-nursing-theory-important-to-the-nursing-profession/

Work Cited

"Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession?" IvyPanda, 10 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/is-nursing-theory-important-to-the-nursing-profession/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession'. 10 February.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession?" February 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/is-nursing-theory-important-to-the-nursing-profession/.

1. IvyPanda. "Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession?" February 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/is-nursing-theory-important-to-the-nursing-profession/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Is Nursing Theory Important to the Nursing Profession?" February 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/is-nursing-theory-important-to-the-nursing-profession/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1