Professional Nursing it Is Necessary and Important

¶ … Professional Nursing It is necessary and important for any professional to understand the differences and applications of theory, practice and research. Within the nursing profession these concepts are highly regarded and the AACN has identified this process of distinguishing between as Essential #3. The purpose of this essay is to explain and indentify practice discrepancies that may adversely affect patient outcomes. This essay will suggest that leadership and purpose are necessary in order to truly understand the synthesis of these concepts.

Theories are simply theories and not laws and it is possible to accept theories as infallible. This is not ideal for the nursing profession. Theories are used to guide and model behavior and not replace it. Such ideas as the theory of gravity or the nuclear theory of the atom are often accepted as true fact but in reality there are many problems with those theories that prevent them from becoming truth, fact and law.

Nursing theories are very necessary because they lead to practices that can have a positive effect on patient outcomes. The word "practice" inherently assumes that there is flaw within the effort, and this is key to realizing the limitations of any one particular theory. In order for the relationship between theory research and practice to be fully understood, these concepts must be placed within a certain framework.

Quality becomes the most important issue when discussing these concepts and organizing ideas in which to apply theory, through practice and eventually improved upon through research. Hall et al. (2004) agreed with this when they wrote " valid indicators of hospital quality are based on outcomes of care experienced by the patient, the nursing staff, and the hospital system. The outcomes of nursing care of interest to nurse executives should demonstrate 3 characteristics: 1. They should be measureable by efficient, valid and reliable methods, 2.

They should be relevant to the patient, healthcare setting, and/or government and they should represent the intended or unintended effects of hospital care, " (p.41). These ideals are the goal, however, the synthesis between theory practice and research must also be understood. Learning is a cycle which begins and ends at the same point. Nurse research is conducted, an experiment is conducted and then an theory is produced. The theory is then tested and applied and the cycle continues as to improve upon the theory through more practice and research.

Essentially, leadership in organizations must have objectives and goals to achieve quality in which the correct or appropriate theories can apply. Leaders are responsible for making the changes and promoting the works of research and ensuring they are being practiced according to a well accepted standard. Tittler et al. (1992) agreed with this concept when they suggested " research is essential to advance the science of nursing. Application of research findings in practice is important to improve patient outcomes, enhance the professional practice.