Fluent Essays

525- to 700-word narrative explanationTitle ABC/123 Version X 1 Theory–Practice Gap Assignment 1 Theory–Practice Gap The book discusses the theory-practice gap in detail in many chapters. As you’ve read throughout the course, there is ongoing discussion about the connection between theory and practice and the application in day-to-day nursing activities. This assignment is designed to illustrate that although there may be a gap, other factors play an important role in decision making and each aspect of theory, research, and practice experience are integral to well-rounded patient care. Return to the classroom to review Figure 1.4 from Fundamentals of Nursing Models, Theories, and Practice. Think of a scenario in which theory, research, and practice interact to create a good patient outcomes. Create a visual representation of your theory-practice relationship or gap using the diagram below by replacing the text in each box below to illustrate your scenario. Note: Use names, citiations, or brief explanations only. The narrative summary should include desciptions and more detailed discussion about each concept in the scenario. Theory Research Science Nursing Practice Here, write a 525- to 700-word narrative explanation of your visual representation in APA format. Your explanation should: Describe the chosen theory, research, and practice guideline or standard Explain the relationship between the three and discuss the role each aspect plays in quality patient care in the scenario Explain any gaps (a lack of research, no practice standard, or no useable theory) Determine the best course of action for making decisions in the absence of one aspect Cite your research and practice guidelines in-text and in the references section of this document. References Copyright © XXXX by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.ANS200083 January 29, 2011 20:1 Char Count= 0 Advances in Nursing Science Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 67–77 Copyright c© 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Nursing Theory-Based Independent Nursing Practice A Personal Experience of Closing the Theory-Practice Gap Kathleen Musker, PhD, RN The article presents a narrative and exemplar from an independent nursing practice under- pinned by the theory of health as expanding consciousness. The journey illustrates the impor- tance of developing personal and professional awareness of theories that are congruent with one’s worldview. This enhances meaning in nursing practice and contributes to closing the theory-practice gap. The benefits of independent nursing practice to closing the gap are also discussed. Key words: health as expanding consciousness, independent nursing practice, practice methodology, theory-practice gap IN 1989, Rogers wrote that “individualshave a personal paradigm or meaning per- spective that structures the way in which they existentially experience, interpret, and understand their world.”1(p112) Each individ- ual nurse therefore holds a particular world- view. According to their worldview, they are likely to have theories congruent with the paradigm, by which they account for how things work in the world. It is the contention of this writer that, as a nurse, becoming aware of one’s worldview contributes to iden- tifying theories, particularly nursing theories, that are congruent with her or his worldview and therefore are recognized by the nurse as meaningful to her or his nursing practice. In my experience, having meaningful knowl- edge instills a desire to apply the knowledge in practice. A felt sense of integrity of the- ory and practice emerges and promotes a pat- tern of applying theory in practice, and gain- Author Affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. The author thanks Dr Paula Kagan for her contribution to this article. Correspondence: Kathleen Musker, PhD, RN, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Northern Illinois Univer- sity, 1240 Normal, DeKalb, IL ([email protected]). ing new nursing knowledge that arises from meaningful practice. Developing processes for expanding con- sciousness of worldview or paradigmatic per- spective and theories that underpin my per- sonal and professional life is a process that evolved in my life over many years. Only in retrospect did I realize that I had been repeat- edly using specific processes of attention, re- flection, and articulation in my personal and professional nursing journey to bring to con- sciousness my beliefs and the theories that support them. This occurred while I spiraled through phases of theory and practice toward my current unitary worldview and health as expanding consciousness (HEC)–based inde- pendent nursing practice (INP).2 With in- creasing autonomy in my nursing practice, I became more