Theoretical nursing: development and progress

An additional assumption was that the processes for theory development were new to nursing and hence, nurses in graduate programs learned strategies for advancing knowledge from other disciplines. This assumption was debunked with the knowledge that nurses were always engaged in knowledge development, driven by their experiences in clinical practice. Because of these assumptions, most of the early writing about theory development was about outlining strategies that should be used, rather than strategies that have already been used in the discipline to develop theories. Theorists themselves did not uncover or adequately discuss ways by which they developed their theories, therefore the tendency was to describe processes that were based on theories developed in other disciplines, mainly the physical and social sciences. And an implicit assumption was made that there should be a single strategy for theory development, some claiming to begin the process from practice, and others believing it should be driven by research"--Provided by publisher

pt. 1. Positioning for the journey -- On being and becoming a scholar -- Theory : metaphors, symbols, definitions. pt. 2. From can't to Kant : barriers and forces toward theoretical thinking -- On the way to theoretical nursing : stages and milestones. pt. 3. The discipline of nursing : perspective and domain -- Sources, resources, and paradoxes for theory -- Our syntax : an epistemological analysis. pt. 4. Nursing theories through mirrors, microscopes, or telescopes -- A model for evaluation of theories : description, analysis, critique, testing, and support -- On needs and self-care -- On interactions -- On outcomes. pt. 5. Challenges and opportunities for a theoretical future -- Concept development -- Theory development -- Middle-range and situation-specific theories -- Measuring progress in a discipline. pt. 6. Historical writings in theory -- Historical and current theory bibliography.