Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing (3rd Edition)

From the Back CoverThe new edition of this popular text features nursing theory development within the larger nursing context. Chapters discuss concept, statement, and theory development with recently published examples of theory strategies, emphasizing concept analytical work. Introductory chapters clarify the relevance of theory to nursing practice, while concluding chapters contain a greater emphasis on how theories can be tested for validity and utility in practice. Features Recently published examples of theory strategies Emergent philosophical views reflect increased diversity New material on concept and statement testing Updated references throughoutProduct DescriptionCompletely updated in a new 5th edition, this book details the advances that have been made in theory development and demonstrate the continued relevance of theory to nursing practice. Chapters discuss concepts, statement, and theory development with recently published examples of theory strategies, emphasizing concept analytical work. Introductory chapters clarify the relevance of theory to nursing practice, while concluding chapters contain a greater emphasis on how theories can be tested for validity and utility in practice. Features include: Recent theory development work being done by nurses; Emergent philosophical views that reflect increased diversity; International nursing theory development. Updated material through-outPreliminary Notes that engage the reader with a personal voice.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.When this book was originally written, there was a need for the whys and hows of theory development to be expressed in nursing language. Extant texts written by sociologists and psychologists failed to translate theory development into a nursing context. Through theory development, it was widely believed, nurses affirmed the academic status of nursing and informed their practice. Thus, theory development became a distinct and valued activity.A decade later, the state of nursing theory development and its place in academic and practice endeavors has changed dramatically. Theory development has been transformed into an activity that takes many forms, occurs at a variety of levels of abstraction, and permeates each facet of nursing. No longer is theory needed to justify and demarcate nursing: that debate has moved to higher ground. The substance of grand theories and/or conceptual models has shown that a variety of characterizations of nursing is possible, and probably desirable. Each has highlighted particular facets of the complex knowledge base needed to understand and practice nursing. In addition, phenomenon-focused theories and a host of qualitative methods have emerged and shown their value in advancing nursing theory development. In quantitatively-oriented research, as well, there is the expectation that such work will be theoretically guided and contribute to the evolution of theoretical knowledge pertinent to nursing. As a result, the phenomena of concern to nursing are increasingly articulated from theoretical perspectives relevant to and sometimes critical of nursing and health care.Still, from the perspective of students beginning the study of theory development, its language is often a maze of terminology and principles that are new and confusing. To understand nursing's current theoretical state of development, each student must at least briefly-retrace at their own pace the steps their nursing predecessors have taken. As maps guide the traveler, so books guide the student. In this book we aim at the beginning student of nursing theory development. What is manifestly clear to the expert often is vague and disordered to the novice. In articulating basic strategies for theory development in nursing, we have sought to provide the guidance needed by the novice. One note of caution is needed: no matter how conscientiously a student applies a strategy, if the underlying concept is trivial, the the.…