Theory-Guided Practice Paper Assignment

Theory-Guided Practice Paper

The Theory-Guided Practice Paper Assignment provides you the opportunity to identify and present an actual practice experience, retrospectively evaluated through the lens of middle-range theory.  You will describe nursing and borrowed middle-range theory and discuss the application of each theory to the identified practice experience.  You will evaluate selected theories for substantive foundation, structural integrity, and functional adequacy.  Furthermore, you will discuss the implications of the selected theories on nursing practice within the Christian worldview.

Practice Story

Introduce an actual practice experience, clearly defining “what mattered most to this patient.” A story has a beginning, middle, and ending. Include pertinent clinical presentation including relevant demographics, past health, surgical, social, and family history, primary diagnosis, laboratory, imaging and diagnostic procedures, and a physical exam. Discuss nursing considerations, including socio-cultural implications, the impact of health systems and policies, health promotion, and health literacy. Write this section in narrative format, focusing on the most important clinical considerations. It is not necessary to include every lab value and physical exam finding. Tell the patient’s story with enough detail to paint an accurate picture of the most important aspects and what will be important as you apply theories to the case in later sections of the paper. Conclude with a summary of case analysis.

Middle-Range Nursing Theory

Description of the middle-range nursing theory. Describe the purpose, development, philosophical, and major concepts of the theory. Discuss the application of the theory to the practice experience.

Borrowed Theory

Description of the middle-range borrowed theory. Describe the purpose, development, philosophical, and major concepts of the theory. Discuss the application of the theory to the practice experience.

Evaluation of Selected Theories

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the nursing and borrowed middle-range theories, including benefits and barriers to utilizing the theory in practice. Discuss selected theories through a biblical worldview. Include biblical references.

Implications to Nursing Practice

Discuss biblical, theory-guided nursing practice implications for the presented practice experience.