Study of Theory for Nursing
Administration
Literature on nursing delivery systems and admin-
istration have addressed the value of nursing theory
for use in administration of nursing and health-
care organizations (Huckaby, 1991; Laurent, 2000;
Walker, 1993; Young & Hayne, 1988). Nurses in
group practice may seek to use a nursing theory
that will not only guide their practice, but also pro-
vide visions for the organization and administra-
tion of their practice. A shared understanding of
the focus of nursing can facilitate goal-setting and
achievement as well as day-to-day communication
among nurses in practice and administration.
Allison and McLaughlin-Renpenning (1999) de-
scribe the need for a vision of nursing shared by all
throughout health care and nursing organizations.
These authors, using Orem’s general Self-Care
Deficit Nursing Theory (see Chapter 13), demon-
strate that a theory of nursing can guide practice as
well as the organization and administration.
The preceding guide for the study of nursing
theories for use in nursing practice can be extended
to consider essential aspects of nursing in organiza-
tions. The following questions are derived from
components of a nursing administration model
(Allison & McLaughlin-Renpenning, 1999). The
questions are intended to guide descriptions of the
nursing organization. Responses to these questions
can be used to evaluate nursing theory for use in a
nursing practice organization.
- What are purposes of the organization?
Mission? Goals? - What are the purposes of nursing? How do these
purposes contribute to the purposes of the or-
ganization? - How can the range of nursing situations be de-
scribed? What is the population served? - What nursing and related technologies are re-
quired for nursing? - What are the projections for nursing situations
and technological needs for the future?- How is communication facilitated? In nursing?
Among disciplines and services? - How are services for those nursed coordinated?
- In what ways is nursing professional develop-
ment achieved? Career advancement? - How are research and development of nursing
practice and theory advanced?
- How is communication facilitated? In nursing?
This chapter has presented a guide designed
for nurses to study nursing theory for use in
practice. The guide is intended to accompany
more general formats of analysis and evalua-
tion of nursing theory. This guide provides
additional evaluative components for nurses
who are focusing on nursing practice. An ad-
ditional set of questions is offered for nurses
who are considering nursing organization
and administration. These questions are in-
tended to further guide the study of nursing
theory for use in nursing organization and
administration.References
Allison, S. E., & McLaughlin-Renpenning, K. E. (1999).Nursing
administration in the 21st century: A self-care theory approach.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Huckaby, L. (1991). The role of conceptual frameworks in nurs-
ing practice, administration, education, and research.Nursing
Administration Quarterly, 15(3), 17–28.
Laurent, C. L. (2000). A nursing theory for nursing leadership.
Journal of Nursing Management, 8,83–87.
Nursing Development Conference Group. (1973).Concept for-
malization in nursing: Process and product. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co.
Parker, M. (1993).Patterns of nursing theories in practice.New
York: National League for Nursing.
Walker, D. (1993). A nursing administration perspective on use
of Orem’s self-care nursing theory. In M. Parker (Ed.),
Patterns of nursing theories in practice(pp. 253–263). New
York: National League for Nursing.
Young, L., & Hayne, A. (1988).Nursing administration: From
concepts to practice. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.26 SECTION I Perspectives on Nursing Theory