Foundation theory in Nursing Practice

Foundation theory in Nursing Practice

Introduction

A foundational theory in nursing is a set of definitions, concepts, relationships and assumptions or propositions that are found from different nursing models and other care disciplines.  Foundational theory explains the relationship between different concepts thus helping to conceptualize various interest in nursing practice (Vati, 2015). The main purpose of a foundation theory is to provide a guide to understanding the nursing practice phenomena. It helps come up with specific inter-relationship through various concepts for the main purpose of explain, describing and prescribing clinical actions.  The purpose of this paper is to discuss various nursing theories and how they shape up the past and present nursing practice.

When looking at an effective nursing practice, it calls for the proper application of skills, knowledge, care and art toward care for patients (Creasia & Friberg, 2019). This should be done in an efficient, effective and very considerate manner.  One of the most important areas in the knowledge used when it comes to making the right clinical decisions is through evidence based findings. In the normal circumstances, it is required that all the patient care needs to be based on researched evidence. Various studies are thus used in coming up with the right protocol which should be followed all through the daily practice in nursing.  This means that there are foundational theories used to develop the protocol which is required in the daily nursing practice (Creasia & Friberg, 2019).  Foundational theory is thus seen as the product of the knowledge of practice and guides the nursing practice they ensure that the registered nurse is able to build up on the knowledge through the generation of the theory.

How a Foundational theory may be applied by Advanced Nurse Practitioner

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One of the most common foundational theories is Prochaska and DiClemente Trans-theoretical Model of change developed in 1983. This foundation theory is an integrative, biopsychosocial model that is used in conceptualizing the processes of intentional behavioural change. This model is different from other behaviour change models as it does not focus only on the various dimensions of change like the social and biological influences; but also looks at the implementation process.  The model includes an integrated key construct related to other foundational theories to form a comprehensive approach of behaviour change that is applied to various population, behaviours and the setting, thus why it is called the Transtheoritical model (Mortada & El Twansy, 2013).   The Transtheoritical model describes various steps of behaviour change which are usually classified into five including; Pre-contemplation , Contemplation , Preparation , Action  and Maintenance which looks at the position of independence where the patient and the nurse will have come up with and techniques to be used to overcome relapses to unwanted behavior (Mortada & El Twansy, 2013).

Transtheoritical model is a very important tool when it comes to the provision of tailored nursing where the care giver is working on the management of the patient lifestyle changes; this includes providing them with therapy for their physical activity, diet other habits like smoking cessation (Nagington, 2016). In regard to clinical practice also entails the promotion of behaviour change among patient for which the Transtheoritical Model is a very important tool.  In nursing practice, they will use this model as a way of taking the patient from one stage to the next (Tilahun, 2018).  The model is very important as it is patient centered. This means it allows the patient to play a role in all the stages of care based nursing interventions which also allows for the patient to get to the end of the care process. The model is also appropriate in research where nurse’s uses other tools such as the stage based questionnaire for monitoring the patient process in change. This will also assess the patient’s readiness for behavior change.  This looks at some of the interventions that can be use when working with the patient like self, environmental evaluation and control of different stimulus.

 Impact in the role of advanced Nurse practitioner in clinical practice, research, and healthcare outcomes

Using the Transtheoritical model, it will have an impact on the role of nurse practitioner  because  the application of different interventions per the theory will help promote efficacy and challenge the patient embrace behavior change. This theory also requires nurses to keep and collect required data to monitor patient outcome at each stage (Prestwich, Kenworthy, & Conner, 2017). In most cases nurse find it difficult to implement all stages in the model especially when it comes to the precontemplation stage. In most cases these patients may be resistant to change or may not be willing to comply with nursing care instruction prompting for the nurse to equip themselves with the best skills in connecting with them. Also according to Tilahun, (2018) the Transtheoritical model presents a lot of implications in regard to nursing practice especially when it comes to primary care of the patients.

The theory assists the nursing practitioner to assess the various behavior change stages that the patient might in, in this manner the nurse will be able to provide the required moral and clinical support and ensure that the patient practices a healthier lifestyle, including the reassessment of the patient so they can come up with the desired goal (Tilahun, 2018).  The major implications of the model when it comes to nursing practice is on the fact that  it can be used  positively to better advance the patient stay and ensure that they have been discharged from the hospital. it also means that they nurse will  be relieved of some functions in regard to the patient, especially when they are able to understand the various aspects of behavior change like taking the proper diet,  adhering to medication and attending physiotherapy sessions in time.

In research, there will be documentation of patient behavior change progress which can be used as an evidence based practice for future nurses when attending to a patient with the same condition (Quinn Griffin & Landers, 2015). It is important that nurses learn to document each stages of patient development as this ensures continuity of care to the time that they are able to adapt behavior change (Tilahun, 2018).

In conclusion,  foundation theories are important in ensuring there is continuity of care among the nursing care providers and other physicians in a way of promoting various initiatives required in enhancing patient care while ensuring proper documentation and regular inspection of how the patient is performing towards behavior change