Theory-Practice Gap
Fundamentals of Nursing Models, Theories, and Practice discusses the theory-practice gap in detail in many chapters. As you have read throughout the course, there is ongoing discussion about the connection between theory and practice, and the application in day-to-day nursing activities. This assignment is designed to illustrate that although there may be a gap, other factors play an important role in decision-making, and each aspect of theory, research, and practice experience are integral to well-rounded patient care.
Access Fundamentals of Nursing Models, Theories, and Practice, and review Figure 1.4 Correlation: education, science and practice, by clicking the Theory–Practice Gap Readings Link directly below this assignment entry.
Think of a scenario in which theory, research, and practice interact to create good patient outcomes.
Create a visual representation of the theory-practice relationship or gap by replacing the text in the Theory-Practice Gap Diagram Template.
Write a minimum of 525- to 700-word narrative explanation of your visual representation following the diagram.
- Describe the chosen theory, research, and practice guideline or standard.
- Explain the relationship between the three, and discuss the role each plays in quality patient care in the scenario.
- Explain any gaps, such as a lack of research, no practice standard, or no usable theory.
- Determine the best course of action for making decisions in the absence of one aspect.
Include documentation of the practice guideline or standard, as well as your corresponding research, evidence, or literature example.
Cite your research and practice guidelines in-text and on the references page at the end of the template.
Use grading rubric located on right side of assignment to self-grade assignment and ensure all grading criteria is met.
Remember I am looking for your original thoughts supported by a few correct current (within 5 years), peer reviewed research articles (not websites). When writing a paper, establish level headings using the grading criteria to help ensure you address the assignment’s purpose. Maybe it would help if you share your purpose statement that you want to include in the introduction for your paper or presentation. This will allow feedback from classmates and me to make sure you understand the purpose of the assignment. Who will be first?
RUBRIC
Accomplished
Clearly completed an appropriate visual representation
Accomplished
Clearly described the chosen theory, research, and practice guideline or standard
Accomplished
Thoroughly explained the relationship between the three and discuss the role each plays in quality patient care in the scenario
Accomplished
Thoroughly explained any gaps, such as a lack of research, no practice standard, or no useable theory
Accomplished
Clearly determined the best course of action for making decisions in the absence of one aspect.
Accomplished
Accurately cited current research and practice guidelines in APA format
Accomplished
Clearly followed a structure that is clear and concise; submission is free of grammar and syntax errors
Tips and Hints:
The diagram needs to be your original work on the template provided in the assignment. Make the information detailed enough that you are demonstrating the connection with the scenario you select. The only reference needed would be for the research article used or the practice guidelines selected. Use the Theory-Practice Gap diagram template provided and the narrative will include:
- Describe the chosen theory, research, and practice guideline or standard.
- Explain the relationship between the three and discuss the role each plays in quality patient care in the scenario.
- Explain any gaps, such as a lack of research, no practice standard, or no useable theory.
- Determine the best course of action for making decisions in the absence of one aspect.
Include documentation of the practice guideline or standard, and your corresponding research, evidence, or literature example.
For the narrative, type just like your papers including level headings with title and reference page.
You will want to research practice guidelines for the clinical scenario you choose or a current peer-reviewed research article that applies a nursing theory to practice for this assignment.
Here are a few questions and answers related to the assignment. I hope this helps.
Q: In terms of theory do we simply restate a chosen theorists’ Theory?
A: No, you will want to connect the theory-research-science with the practice situation.
Q: What goes in boxes on the template?
A: Make sure you show the connection between the theory and practice scenario in the theory box. Research would be a current, peer-reviewed article you find in the UOPX library explaining a research study related to the practice of something you have observed in practice (like oral care for a chemo patient) or could be the hospital policy/procedure for implementing the nursing practice. The research article should be connected to a nursing theory (Watson, Orem, Henderson, etc.) with the nursing practice. Science would be the recommended care practice from the research article or from the policy/procedure. The practice would be what you see happens in the practice setting–actions the nurses take when providing care to patients. Are nurses following the research and science based on the theory? If not, this would be the practice-theory gap.
Here is an example for this week’s assignment using Watson’s theory and “Time Out” prior to surgery. The nursing practice is Surgical Time Out to help decrease medical errors and improve patients outcome. Research is what you find connecting the theory selected to the nursing practice. The science is how the practice should work. The gap is any differences in what the research says and how nurses practice. For example, Watson’s theory says being present in the moment when working with patients shows caring. Research would be articles testing this theory. The science is how to demonstrate caring by being present in the moment. In practice, nurses are so busy thinking of the next task that they are not present in the moment when giving preoperative meds. How can nurses narrow this gap?
Approaching this assignment:
The Week 5 assignment may be approached from different directions starting with either practice situation, research findings, or a nursing theory. This is because the three components are more like a circle than a line.
If you start with a practice situation, find research (peer-reviewed, current articles or practice guidelines) that use a theory and propose the correct action to take in practice.
If you start with the theory (let’s say Watson’s or Benner’s) then find research (peer-reviewed, current articles or practice guidelines) that apply the theory to practice and compare to what you see done in practice.
If you start with the research findings (peer-reviewed, current articles or practice guidelines) then connect with the theory and practice. In all the situations, consider what you read in the literature and compare with what you see in practice. Is there a practice-theory gap? If so, how might it be narrowed? If not, why not? Why is it working well?
The purpose of the assignment is to show a connection between nursing theory, nursing research, and nursing practice. Therefore, you may start with any component as long as you make the connection between all three. A word of caution, keep the focus on nursing practice and not medicine!
RESOURCES
· McKenna, H., Pajnkihar, M., & Murphy, F. (2014). Fundamentals of nursing models, theories and practice (2nd ed.). Wiley. Chp. 3
· Colley, S., (2003). Nursing theory: Its importance to practice. Nursing Standard, 17(46), 33-37.
· Essence of Nursing Practice : Philosophy and Perspective
· Karnick, P. M., (2014). A case for nursing theory in practice. Nursing Science Quarterly, 27(2), 117.
· Meehan, T.C., (2012). The careful nursing philosophy and professional practice model. Journal of Clinic Nursing, 21(19/20), 2905-2916.
