Is nursing a science?
Nursing is a science as being a nurse means to study new methods and ways of performing tasks. The developments in science are successfully applied to nursing practice. Science is described as the process of acquiring new knowledge and applying that knowledge into practice. Nursing perfectly fits the description. Moreover, research has been conducted where the issue of nursing as science was discussed. Logan and Angel (2011) have conducted research where they wanted to know the relation between science and nursing and explain the impact of students who study bioscience in the sphere. The research has proven that 88% of respondents consider nursing as applied science. Moreover, those students who actively study bioscience more frequently use their theoretical knowledge in practice. Considering nursing as a science, students always search for something new in the sphere, they try to apply their theoretical knowledge into practice developing new approaches to the existing practices. The interest of many students in bioscience “provides opportunities for reinforcement of theoretical knowledge for students and, in particular, the transformation of theoretical bioscience knowledge into situated knowledge for future clinical decision-making” (Logan & Angel, 2011, p. 415).
How does nursing theory, research and nursing practice relate to each other?
Nursing theory, research and nursing practice are closely interconnected. The nursing practice is impossible without research, which, in its way, is impossible without nursing theory. It is obvious that living in the world of innovations and constant change, healthcare is the sphere that is to be changed as fast as the technologies develop. The research conducted in other spheres and the already existing knowledge is combined and the new theories are created. It is essential to check the theories before applying those into practice, therefore, the research is conducted with the purpose to check the hypotheses. Some theories may be proved with the help of the research others may be sent to further consideration, however, each research is valuable as it either supports the hypothesis or gives information about the credibility of another research. Finally, when the research is completed and the theory is tested, it may be applied to practice. It is essential to use ideas that perfectly meet the conditions of nursing in a particular hospital. Thus, theory, research and practice are three components that always go together.
Can there be one theory of nursing?
There cannot be just one theory of nursing as there are a lot of different situations and they cannot be applied to one and the same theory. Burges (2009) states that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Erickson’s stages of development are the two most frequently met theories. These two theories are applied to two different aspects of human behavior. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is based on the range of human needs and the behavior based on these aspects. Erickson’s theory is also based on the idea of human behavior, however, this theory refers to stages of development based on age. The needs of people and their age can be referred to, however, it is impossible to combine these two theories into one and to try to explain the behavior of people. Thus, it is impossible to invent one theory of nursing that would apply to all the events and situations.
Reference List
Burges, V. (2009). Theories of Nursing: A Student’s Vantage Point. NSNA IMPRINT. Web.
Logan, P. A. & Angel, L. (2011). Nursing as a scientific undertaking and the intersection with science in undergraduate studies: implications for nursing management. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(3), 407-417.