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EARNING
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UTCOME
1
Differentiate the terms theory, concept, conceptual framework, paradigm,
and metaparadigm for nursing.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Concepts are often called the building blocks of theories. They may
2. A conceptual framework is a group of related ideas, statements, or
3. Broadly speaking, a paradigm refers to a pattern of shared under-
5.
A theory is defined as system of ideas that is proposed to explain a given
phenomenon. A theory articulates significant relationships between con-
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EARNING
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UTCOME
2
Describe the major purpose of theory in the sciences and practice disciplines.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Theories in the natural sciences provide a foundation and direction
2.
In the practice disciplines, theories work like lenses through which the
practitioners are invited to interpret the world of interest, such as the
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EARNING
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UTCOME
3
Identify the components of the metaparadigm for nursing.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Collectively, the concepts of person or client, environment, health,
and nursing are the metaparadigm for nursing.
C
HAPTER
3
NURSING THEORIES AND CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORKS
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LASSROOM
A
CTIVITIES
•
Have the students identify concepts, concep-
tual frameworks, theories, and paradigms used
in the curriculum of the program.
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LASSROOM
A
CTIVITIES
• Invite a colleague who teaches in the natural
sciences to discuss the role of theory and re-
search in that discipline.
•
Invite a colleague from another practice disci-
pline to discuss the role of theory and research
CHAPTER 3 / Nursing Theories and Conceptual Frameworks 13
Person or client is the recipient of nursing care and includes in-
dividuals, families, groups, and communities.
Environment is the internal and external surroundings that affect
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EARNING
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UTCOME
4
Identify the role of nursing theory in nursing education, research, and clinical
practice.
Concepts for Lecture
1. In many cases, nursing theory guides knowledge development and
directs education, research, and practice, although each influences
the other.
Nursing theory helped to establish nursing’s place in academia
and became more firmly established in these settings than in clinical
practice. In the past, many nursing programs organized curriculum
from which it proceeds because new theoretical perspectives are
based upon previous assumptions about people and the world. Per-
spectives can help generate new ideas, research questions, and inter-
L
EARNING
O
UTCOME
5
Identify one positive and one negative effect of using theory to understand
clinical practice.
Concepts for Lecture
1. Debates about the role of theory in nursing practice provide evidence
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LASSROOM
A
CTIVITIES
• Have the students investigate how the metapara-
assigned model and then compare and contrast
among these models.
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LASSROOM
A
CTIVITIES
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LINICAL
A
CTIVITIES
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LASSROOM
A
CTIVITIES
•
Divide the students into groups and assign one
of the theories/models of nursing presented in
the text to each group. Ask the students to de-
velop a list of positive and negative effects of
using the assigned theory/model to understand
S
UGGESTIONS FOR
C
LINICAL
A
CTIVITIES
• Have the students ask RNs in various posi-
tions to define the metaparadigm concepts and
compare and contrast the definitions obtained
from these nurses.