Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing

by Walker, Lorraine Olszewski; Avant, Kay Coalson

• ISBN13: 9780838586884
• ISBN10: 0838586880
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

PLEASE PROVIDE COURSE INFORMATION PLEASE PROVIDE

Author Biography

Lorraine Olszewski Walker is a RN, EdD, FAAN and a Luci B. Johnson Centennial Professor at the School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin Kay Coalson Avant is a RN, PhD, FAAN and a Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin

Table of Contents

Preface	v
PART I. Overview of Theory Development in Nursing	1	(34)
Theory Development in Context	3	(20)
Introduction to Elements, Approaches, and Strategies of Theory Development	23	(12)
PART II. Concept Development	35	(44)
Concept Analysis	37	(18)
Concept Synthesis	55	(12)
Concept Derivation	67	(12)
PART III. Statement Development	79	(52)
Statement Analysis	81	(14)
Statement Synthesis	95	(24)
Statement Derivation	119	(12)
PART IV. Theory Development	131	(52)
Theory Analysis	133	(22)
Theory Synthesis	155	(16)
Theory Derivation	171	(12)
PART V. Perspectives on Nursing Science	183	(28)
Concept, Statement, and Theory Testing	185	(12)
Dimensions of Nursing Knowledge	197	(14)
Index	211

Excerpts

When this book was originally written, there was a need for the whys and hows of theory development to be expressed in nursing language. Extant texts written by sociologists and psychologists failed to translate theory development into a nursing context. Through theory development, it was widely believed, nurses affirmed the academic status of nursing and informed their practice. Thus, theory development became a distinct and valued activity. A decade later, the state of nursing theory development and its place in academic and practice endeavors has changed dramatically. Theory development has been transformed into an activity that takes many forms, occurs at a variety of levels of abstraction, and permeates each facet of nursing. No longer is theory needed to justify and demarcate nursing: that debate has moved to higher ground. The substance of grand theories and/or conceptual models has shown that a variety of characterizations of nursing is possible, and probably desirable. Each has highlighted particular facets of the complex knowledge base needed to understand and practice nursing. In addition, phenomenon-focused theories and a host of qualitative methods have emerged and shown their value in advancing nursing theory development. In quantitatively-oriented research, as well, there is the expectation that such work will be theoretically guided and contribute to the evolution of theoretical knowledge pertinent to nursing. As a result, the phenomena of concern to nursing are increasingly articulated from theoretical perspectives relevant to and sometimes critical of nursing and health care. Still, from the perspective of students beginning the study of theory development, its language is often a maze of terminology and principles that are new and confusing. To understand nursing's current theoretical state of development, each student must at least briefly-retrace at their own pace the steps their nursing predecessors have taken. As maps guide the traveler, so books guide the student. In this book we aim at the beginning student of nursing theory development. What is manifestly clear to the expert often is vague and disordered to the novice. In articulating basic strategies for theory development in nursing, we have sought to provide the guidance needed by the novice. One note of caution is needed: no matter how conscientiously a student applies a strategy, if the underlying concept is trivial, the theoretical outcome will have limited merit. For the expert, we see the components of the strategies outlined here not as steps, but rather as a framework for assessing the completeness and orderliness of their work. Creative work has its own process. Sometimes that process is linear; other times it is not. At the end, however, the creative work must be expressed in a coherent and orderly form to be understood by others. For example, when dealing with large amounts of information, or ordering complex phenomena, the material on concept analysis or theory synthesis may prove useful in unsnarling ideas. Thus, we expect that experts will and should use this book differently from novices. In this third edition we have attempted to portray theory development within the larger nursing context while preserving with clarity the basic strategies content. This third edition moves beyond earlier editions in several ways. First, we have incorporated recently published examples of the theory strategies. Examples are particularly abundant for concept analysis work. Second, we have striven to place theory development within the larger knowledge development process in nursing. New material reflecting this is contained in Chapter 13. Third, increasing diversity is evident in nursing's intellectual and practice spheres. We have tried to reflect this diversity by noting emergent philosophical views articulated by nurses (Chapters 1, 12, and 13) and expanding illustrative material to incorporate the diversity of clients car