Nursing Theories

Nursing Theories

Welcome to Week 2. This week we will study grand nursing theories.

Grand nursing theories are the most complicated and largest in scope; they were

developed to comprehensively describe or explain the discipline. Grand nursing theories

have the tendency to be nonspecific. The concepts are abstract and lack operational

definitions. They date back to the writings of Florence Nightingale and attempt to

describe, explain, predict, and, in some cases, prescribe actions that should be taken by

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nurses on behalf of patients. The number of grand nursing theories is significant, and

many of the early grand nursing theorists initially developed their works in the 1950s,

1960s, and 1970s. Nursing Theories

Although there is considerable discussion as to whether grand nursing theories

are relevant in today’s health care system, their contribution to the discipline and

science of nursing is evident. Professional nurses should have a working knowledge of

some of the major grand nursing theorists. Indeed, in addition to Nightingale, theorists

such as Virginia Henderson, Dorothea Orem, Callista Roy, and Martha Rogers have

contributed enormously to the development and recognition of nursing as an academic

discipline and as a profession. Nursing Theories