Models versus theories as a primary carrier of nursing knowledge: A philosophical argument

Dialectical Pluralism for Nursing Knowledge Development

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of dialectical pluralism (DP) for nursing knowledge development. Nursing scholars have discussed ways of developing nursing knowledge, exploring the fit and relevance of various worldviews for knowledge development and examining the dynamic and perpetual processes of knowledge development. Scholars have argued that knowledge development occurs under a certain worldview to which the researcher adheres. Many nurses employ various worldviews, which can give rise to ontological and epistemological conflicts. DP can help nurses appreciate the diversity of worldviews and recognize the importance of implicit worldviews to generate more practical nursing knowledge. DP as a philosophical approach can enable nurses to communicate between diverse worldviews, become tolerant of conflicting differences, and develop an array of nursing knowledge.

The use of theory or model in studies on postpartum care: A narrative review

PURPOSE

It is aimed to raise awareness about the science of nursing for women's health and the use of nursing theories and models in research by reviewing the studies using theories or models in postpartum care.

DATA SOURCES

The data of the study were obtained by searching YÖK National Thesis Center, EBSCOhost, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases. Reviewed studies were analyzed in terms of the type of research, sample characteristics, purpose, the field of use of theory and model in the research, and research results.

CONCLUSIONS

As a result of the review, it was noted that in the studies, Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory/Model (n = 9), Roy's Adaptation Theory (n = 7), and Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort (n = 7) were the most used theories, theories and models were not used in a systematic structure at every stage of the research, and positive outcomes were obtained with the theory and model-based nursing interventions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The application of theory and model in postpartum care can be chosen by nurses as it improves patient outcomes. Furthermore, the use of theories and models in research to develop nursing knowledge will benefit nursing science while increasing professional autonomy.

A response to Michael Clinton's On Bender's orientation to models: Towards a philosophical debate on covering laws, theory, emergence and mechanisms in nursing science

My purpose in this short response to Clinton's interesting article On Bender's orientation to models: Towards a philosophical debate on covering laws, theory, emergence and mechanisms in nursing science, which is published in this issue, is not to provide any counterargument to Clinton's interpretation of my own argument; readers are welcome to interrogate both articles at their leisure and make their own conclusions. What I will do instead is provide a brief critical assessment of my own (il)logic re bringing in the notion of mechanism as conceived by Machamer, Darden and Craver into an argument for models versus theories as a carrier of nursing knowledge.

What constitutes philosophical activity in nursing? Toward a definition of nursing philosophy based on an interpretive synthesis of the recent literature

Nursing claims a significant history of engaging philosophical inquiry. To better understand the rationale for this engagement, and what nursing understands itself to achieve through philosophical inquiry, we conducted an interpretive synthesis of the recent nursing literature to identify what nurses are doing when they say they are doing philosophy. The overarching finding was that while vanishingly few articles articulated any definition of philosophy, the synthesis showed how nursing considers philosophical engagement a generative mode for asking and answering questions in/for nursing. Whatever aspects of nursing were focused on in these articles, and they were myriad, philosophy was invoked as an appropriate modality to work through that aspect rigorously, critically, and with an expectation that something "knowledgeable" would result from the effort. Based on the synthesis, we conclude that nursing philosophy could be considered a specific modality of nursing practice by which nursing is both done and delineated, a discursive practice in which we continually assess and explore and adapt and advance our understanding of the discipline in service to advancing our unique efficacy. This definition of "nursing philosophy" provides an opening for further inquiry helping to illuminate its functionalities and potentialities for outputs that can facilitate rigorous practice, education, and scholarship.

On Bender's orientation to models: Towards a philosophical debate on covering laws, theory, emergence and mechanisms in nursing science

Nursing scholars continuously refine nursing knowledge and the philosophical foundations of nursing practice. They advance nursing knowledge by creating new knowledge and weighing the relevance of developments in cognate sciences. Nurse philosophers go further by providing epistemological and ontological arguments for explanations of nursing phenomena. In this article, I engage with Bender's arguments about why mechanisms should have more primacy as carriers of nursing knowledge. Despite the careful scholarship involved, Bender's arguments need to be more convincing. Accordingly, this article encourages debate about Bender's arguments for reorientating nursing science to mechanisms. I begin by suggesting that the claim that the theory-practice divide can be overcome by reorientating to mechanisms is acceptable only if we accept Bender's depiction of the challenge. Then I question the ontology Bender relies on to justify reorientating nursing science. After that, I argue that mechanisms in models that parallel analytical sociology undermine the kind of nursing science Bender advocates. I illustrate my arguments with a social mechanism thought experiment. Then I explain why Bender's arguments cannot escape the received view of science or inform emancipatory nursing action without theory. Finally, I mention some caveats and implications for nursing science.

Toward a theorizing strategy with components of terminologies, classifications, and nursing theories

PURPOSE

This article describes a theorizing strategy that integrates the components of classifications or terminologies with elements of grand or middle-range theories.

METHODS

The source of metatheoretical data to support the strategy was the levels of theories by Dickoff et al. (1968). Terminological data sources were professional classifications and terminologies.

FINDINGS

The authors synthesized data and philosophical, metatheoretical, theoretical, and terminological knowledge from primary sources on the subject to construct arguments and demonstrate suitable links.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposal presented in this article of a strategy for building theories integrates theories and classifications or standardized nomenclatures. It applies levels of theorization: scrutiny of phenomena, description, conceptualization, naming, relationship, modeling, and operationalization to achieve higher levels of explanatory, predictive, and prescriptive properties on generated theory.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The implications for practice and research are connected to the theorizing strategy proposed in this article. We assume that using professional language at all levels of theorization can ensure that the concepts generated are closer to clinical practice.

Healthy aging promotion model referenced in Nola Pender's theory

OBJECTIVES

to model the process of promoting healthy aging from the conceptual analysis proposed by Walker and Avant and Nola Pender's Health Promotion Model.

METHODS

this is a descriptive and theoretical study, with a qualitative approach. Elements resulting from conceptual analysis were used to model a healthy aging promotion process based on Nola Pender's Health Promotion Model.

RESULTS

in conceptual analysis, seven antecedents, seven attributes and three consequences of the concept of healthy aging were identified.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

the proposed Health Promotion Model represents a structure that in an instrumental way can guide the nursing process application in gerontological clinical practice. This can guide nurses in identifying diagnoses, establishing outcomes and implementing interventions aimed at promoting the elderly's health.

The Medicalization of Nursing: The Loss of a Discipline's Unique Identity

The authors propose that the evolution of the role development for generalist and advanced practice nursing is increasingly at odds with the contemporary scholarship of the discipline and ultimately betrays the unique identity and autonomy of the nursing profession. The development of the evidence-based practice movement in medicine and nursing is explored as the predominant theoretical framework guiding nursing practice. Professional challenges and recommendations to reclaim the unique nature of nursing are discussed with attention to the implications for the educator, clinician, and scholar.

Intermodernism: A Philosophical Perspective for Development of Scientific Nursing Theory

Nursing is not only a professional practice, it is a scientific practice as well. One aspect of this practice involves development of scientific theory. In this article, I present a philosophical perspective called intermodernism for considering the content, structure, and process of scientific theory. Three types of theory structure are reviewed along with descriptions of the use of models and mechanisms in knowledge development. Practice is championed as a context that informs theory development as well as a context of theory validation and application.

FOR A CRITIQUE OF THE H-INDEX IN THE AREA OF NURSING, IN THE LIGHT OF THOMAS KUHN

ABSTRACT Objective: to discuss the use of the H-index as an indicator for the evaluation of the Nursing area researcher in the light of Thomas Kuhn's disciplinary matrix. Method: this is a reflective study, conducted between March and April 2018, which identifies the elements that underlie the H-index and criticizes it as an indicator for the evaluation of the researcher in the nursing scientific community. Results: the Nursing area is in the normal science phase and has a disciplinary matrix. It consists of theories, research methods and experiments; establishes procedures; indicates the problems to be studied and determines the scientific agenda; provides modular solutions for the scientific community; it has epistemic values that legitimize and justify the research practice. The values are of a quantitative and qualitative nature, namely: accuracy, consistency, range, simplicity, objectivity, originality and fruitfulness. The H-index cannot display the qualitative values of science. Conclusion: the quantitative and qualitative epistemic values form an amalgam, making it impossible to separate them, for it is in axiological complementarity that science is founded. From its evaluative approach with the so-called mature sciences, it is inferred that the Nursing area should consider these values for itself. The H-index is limited for the evaluation of the researcher. Care should be taken to harbor it, so as not to hinder the insertion of new candidates to be researchers into the postgraduate teaching staff, thus preventing generational sharing among peers, given that the index does not can measure the category made up by young researchers.

Middle-range theories as models: New criteria for analysis and evaluation

This essay argues for a new perspective on the analysis and evaluation of middle-range theory. The commonly used criteria for theory evaluation in nursing are not as useful as they should be, and the root of the problem is an inappropriate understanding of middle-range theory. In spite of their name, middle-range theories should not be analysed and evaluated as concrete or limited versions of more general theories. Rather, they are best understood as models. The latter sections of this essay present a new method for analysing middle-range theories and new criteria for their evaluation. Analysing and evaluating theories relevant to nursing as models has the capacity to increase their scholarly and clinical usefulness.