Using Theory Integration to Explore Complex Health Problems

The popularisation of self-care: Tracing the dissemination of Orem's Self-Care Deficiency Nursing Theory into the scientific disciplines

BACKGROUND

Bibliometric methods may be used to examine research trends, and information visualisation techniques are useful in illustrating the diffusion of knowledge and how theories are applied.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to illustrate how Orem's Self-Care Deficiency Nursing Theory (SCDNT) has been cited and applied in nursing science and beyond.

METHODS

A bibliometric analysis examined scientific publications that cited Orem's nursing theory. In addition, the diffusion of SCDNT was assessed using data visualisation methods and integration scores of SCDNT versions were calculated to define trends in its theoretical usage in other scientific domains.

RESULTS

The information visualisation demonstrated increased usage of SCDTN in different disciplines. Integration scores demonstrated that the scientific community still recognises and uses versions of SCDTN.

DISCUSSION

Studying citation patterns helps to identify which publications are still cited and relevant, as well as illustrating the dissemination of theory. Findings may be used in the collection weeding of SCDTN book versions.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provided nursing scientists with a better conceptual understanding of SCDNT diffusion and development. For academic library managers, the findings identify which SCDNT should be retained for historical interest and curriculum needs.

Rethinking Suicide Risk With a New Generation of Suicide Theories

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a global concern to nurses and other health-care providers. However, deaths by suicide are only part of the spectrum of suicide, as suicidal thinking and behaviors may precede a suicide attempt. Theoretical models are used infrequently in research to explain how the individual progresses from suicidal ideation to a suicide attempt. Thus, there is a critical need to advance the study of suicide with useful theoretical models to describe and explain processes whereby suicidal thoughts transition to attempts and to suicide.

PURPOSE

This article provides a conceptual discussion and scoping review comparing historical and contemporary ideation-to-action theories of suicide.

METHOD

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from three databases (CINAHL, JSTOR, and PsychINFO) were reviewed to find literature describing suicide theories.

RESULTS

Historically, theory applications have limited capacity to differentiate between those individuals with suicidal ideations and those who attempt suicide. Newer theories, grounded in the ideation-to-action framework, propose distinct processes explaining what moves an individual from suicidal ideations toward suicidal behaviors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The ideation-to-action theories can guide health-care providers' assessment of at-risk individuals beyond merely asking about suicidal thinking.

CONCLUSION

The new generation of suicide theories suggest that suicidal ideations are only one component of risk. The common factor in ideation-to-action theories that distinguishes ideators from attempters is the acquired capability for suicide.

Searching for a Sense of Place: The Process of How Adolescent Girls Overcome Suicidality

Adolescent suicide is a preventable health problem; however, warning signs are often missed. In this study we developed a grounded theory to explore the process of how adolescent girl suicide attempters escape suicide in a sample of 12 young female adults ages 18-25. Using grounded theory methods of constant comparison, memo-writing, axial, and theoretical coding, searching for a sense of place emerged as the core process encompassing social process stages of: (1) existing in a toxic environment; (2) seeing suicide as the only way out; (3) seeing new ways to escape. Implications for nursing practice, education, and research are discussed.

Safety Culture and Patient Safety Outcomes in East Asia: A Literature Review

This review examined associations between safety culture aspects and patient safety outcomes in East Asian hospitals and identified relevant research priorities. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, 16 articles were identified for review. Patient safety nursing activity was the most commonly investigated outcome in relation to safety culture aspects. Among safety culture aspects, feedback and communication, frequency of event reporting, teamwork within units, and managers’ support for patient safety were most significantly related to patient safety outcomes. Areas for further research include the use of theory or theoretical frameworks, consensus upon the scoring strategies for computation of safety culture scores, and selecting appropriate units of analysis and statistical analyses. Finally, researchers should examine relations between unit-specific and nation-specific safety culture and patient safety outcomes, given the influence of cultural attitudes and behaviors on patient safety.