Chapter 3

Which provides the best explanation for describing nursing as a practice discipline? 1. Nursing focuses on performing the professional role 2. It takes time and experience to become a competent nurse 3. Research and theory development is a central focus 4. Nurses function as members of a team who form a practice group

Answer 1 Rationale: Practice disciplines are fields of study in which the central focus is performance of professional role. Time and experience are necessary for developing proficiency in any profession or career (option 2). Research and theory development do not have performance as their primary focus. The primary focus of nursing is providing quality service to humans (option 3). Team or group practice can be a part of a career in humanities, computer science, or rocket science (option 4).

Which is an accurate statement about the role of nursing theory? 1. Practice theories assist nurses to reflect on the effectiveness of what they do 2. Midlevel theories, describing the interrelationships among a broad range of concepts within nursing, have been well tested though nursing research 3. All schools of nursing in the United States are organized around one of the conceptual models described in this chapter 4. Nursing theory guides the direction of research but not that of education or practice

Answer 1 Rationale: Practice theories assist the nurse to reflect on nursing care. Theories describing the interrelationships among a broad range of concepts within nursing are grand theories, not midlevel, and both require more testing though nursing research (option 2). Schools of nursing in the United States may or may not be organized around any theory or conceptual model (option 3). Nursing theory guides the direction of research and education and practice (option 4).

"A group of related ideas or statements" best defines which of the following? 1. A philosophy 2. A conceptual framework 3. A theory 4. A paradigm

Answer 2 Rationale: A group of related ideas or statements is a conceptual framework. A philosophy is a belief system (option 1); a supposition or system of ideas proposed to explain a given phenomenon is a theory (option 3); and a paradigm is a pattern of shared understandings and assumptions about reality and the world (option 4).

Person, environment, health, and nursing constitute the metaparadigm for nursing because they do which of the following? 1. Provide a framework for implementing the nursing process 2. Can be utilized in any setting when caring for a client 3. Can be utilized to determine applicability of a research study 4. Focus on the needs of a group of clients

Answer 2 Rationale: Person/client, environment, health, and nursing are relevant when providing care for any client whether in the hospital, at home, in the community, or in elementary school systems. These elements can be used to understand diseases, conduct and apply research, and develop nursing theories, as well as implement the nursing process.

"A supposition or system of ideas that is proposed to explain a given phenomenon" best defines which of the following? 1. A concept 2. A conceptual framework 3. A theory 4. A pardigm

Answer 3 Rationale: A supposition or system of ideas proposed to explain a given phenomenon is a theory. Concepts are mental images that are included within a theory (option 1); a conceptual framework is a group of related ideas, statements, or concepts (option 2); and a paradigm is a pattern of shared understanding and assumptions about reality and the world (option 4).

The purpose of theory in science is to 1. Build a rationale for programs of research 2. Explain why scientists do what they do 3. Help scientists interpret phenomena 4. Distinguish science from art

Answer 3 Rationale: The purpose of any theory is to help interpret phenomena. Programs of research should have a theoretical framework but the theory is not the reason for the research (option 1). Theory is applicable in science as it is in art (options 3 and 4).

"A set of shared understandings and assumptions about reality and the world" is a definition for which of the following? 1. A concept 2. A conceptual framework 3. A practice discipline 4. A paradigm

Answer 4 Rationale: A set of shared understandings and assumptions about the world is a paradigm. A concept is a mental image (option 1); a conceptual framework is a group of related ideas, statements, or concepts (option 2); and a practice discipline is a field of study in which the central focus is performance of a professional role (option 3).