Nursing Theory in Curricula Today: Challenges for Faculty at all Levels of Education

Abstract

Nursing educators are challenged to include nursing theory in all levels of curricula when faced with many influences and requirements competing for course content, placement, and credit. Some of the essential influences and content, such as quality, safety, evidence-based practice, and research methods are important. However, the critical emphasis on theory and its relationship to practice and research must be preserved. This article addresses the influences that may threaten this relationship at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels of nursing education. Strategies are offered to ensure nurse educators continue to offer appropriate nursing theory content to advance both nursing science and practice.

Philosophical and theoretical content of the nursing discipline in academic education: A critical interpretive synthesis

“…These abilities can also support nursing leaders to apply their knowledge to develop the necessary care improvements. Thus, it is useful to find new strategies so that nurses can practice their advanced skills (Donohue-Porter et al, 2011;Schober and Affara, 2006).…”

“…Despite a general agreement among nursing scholars about the importance of philosophical and theoretical knowledge in the nursing discipline, their roles have been largely restricted to the academic curricula of nursing (Donohue-Porter et al, 2011;Karnick, 2013). In fact, academic nursing curricula have been found to comprise other disciplines such as biological and related sciences, social and behavioural sciences, and medical or surgical content, with a significant lack of philosophical and theoretical discourse about the nursing discipline (McNamara et al, 2012;Northrup et al, 2004).…”

“…clinical practice. It was also related to the philosophical content in education because the main goal of nursing research is to increase nursing knowledge while advancing practice (Donohue-Porter et al, 2011;Silén and Johansson, 2016).…”

“…The seminal works of its most representative philosophers and theorists make it clear that the disciplinary issues of the nursing profession are essential for its existence (Clarke, 2011;Fawcett, 2003). Even though nursing scientists recognize the importance of philosophical and theoretical content in nursing education, this has frequently been missing from many master's programmes (Karnick, 2013 (Clarke and Jones, 2011;Donohue-Porter et al, 2011;Northrup et al, 2004).…”

“…The philosophical and theoretical content of nursing education (at both the Masters and the Doctoral level) creates a basis for the nursing discipline, which guides the development of later expertise in a clinical practitioner, someone who teaches nursing or a nurse researcher (Hicks and Butkus, 2011). Thus, focusing on nursing concepts, theories, and models supports nursing experts to practice, develop, and study advanced nursing practices (Doane and Varcoe, 2008;Donohue-Porter et al, 2011). In addition, the methodological content of education aims to guarantee that individuals have the capacity and the aptitude to use, assess, and produce scientific knowledge (Christensen, 2011).…”