Running head: NURSING THEORIES 1
Nursing Theories
The difference between high, middle, and low-range theories is based on their application. High-range theories, also known as grand nursing theories, cover the widest scope and present broad concepts. These theories offer deep understanding, which is useful for practice. However, they are not intended for empirical testing. They are abstract, which limits their use for directing, describing, and predicting nursing in specific situations. On the other hand, middle-range theories have a narrower scope than that of high-range theories. They act as a link between high-range theories and low-range theories (McEwen & Wills, 2018). They present concepts, procedures of practicing nursing, and a guide theory-based research. Finally, the low-range theories also referred to as the nursing practice theories, cover the smallest range, and abstraction level. They were established for use within specific range of nursing situations.
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As stated earlier, middle range theories are nursing theories made up of limited number of concepts and propositions that are written at relatively concrete and particular levels. They offer a theoretical connection between grand nursing theories and middle-range theories (McEwen & Wills, 2018). The purpose of middle-rang theories is to direct, explain, and predict phenomena; hence, they must be testable.
An example of a research where a middle- range theory was used is in the study of cancer screening and intervention. The specific theory applied in this study is the theory of behavior (McEwen & Wills, 2018). This study was aimed at testing the impacts of a nurse-delivered, patient-centered care, on women’s breast screening behaviors and to evaluate whether intervention impacts varied by external conditions, based on proposition from theory. The report from the study were as follows: Out of the 101 participants, 19.8% were classified in pre-examination, 27.3% in relapse, 9.2% in risk of worsening, 28.1 in scanning, 5.5% in preparation and 10% in action. The study was collected using questionnaires and the results generated through analysis. Further, it was evident that the intervention effects varied based on the external conditions such as age, and personal history. The implications of the study were that beliefs, social influences, and nurses interactions regarding cancer screening varied based on the stages mentioned earlier, with the lowest scores recorded among those in the action stage and highest in the pre-examination period.
References
McEwen, M. & Wills, E. M. (2018). Theoretical Basis for Nursing . Alphen aan den Rijn: Wolters Kluwer.
