THEORIES & NURSING RESEARCH

Introduction
• RESEARCH – Process of inquiry
• THEORY – Product of knowledge
• SCIENCE – Result of the relationship between research & theory
• To effectively build knowledge to research process should be
developed within some theoretical structure that facilities analysis and
interpretation of findings.
• Relationship between theory and research in nursing is not well
understood. It may be give to the relative youth of the discipline and
debates over philosophical world views. (Empiricism, constructivism,
etc…)
Need to Link Theory and Research
• Research without theory results in discreet information or data
which does not add to the accumulated knowledge of the discipline.
• Theory guides the research process, forms the research questions,
aids in design, analysis and interpretation.
• It enables the scientist to weave the facts together.
Theories from Nursing or Other Disciplines?
• Nursing science is blend of knowledge that is unique to nursing
and knowledge that is borrowed from other disciplines.
• Debate is whether the use of borrowed theory has hindered the
development of the discipline.
• It has contributed to problems connecting research and theory in
nursing.
Historical Overview of Research and Theory in Nursing
• Florence Nightingale supported her theoretical propositions
through research, as statistical data and prepared graphs were used to
depict the impact of nursing care on the health of British soldiers.
• Afterwards, for almost century reports of nursing research were
rare.
• Research and theory developed separately in nursing.
• Between 1928 and 1959 only 2 out of 152 studies reported a
theoretical basis for the research design.
• In 1970’s growing number of nurse theorists were seeking
researchers to test their models in research and clinical application
• Grand nursing theories are still not widely used. In 1990’s
borrowed theories were used more.
• Now the focus of research and theory have moved more towards
middle range theories
Purpose of Theory in Research
• To identify meaningful and relevant areas for study.
• To propose plausible approaches to health problems.
• To develop or refine theories
• Define the concepts and proposed relationships between concepts.
 • To interpret research findings
• To develop clinical practice protocols.
• Generate nursing diagnosis.
Types of theory and corresponding research
Type of theory Type of research

• Descripti • Descriptiv
ve e or explanatory
• Explanat • Co
ory relational
• Predictiv • Experime
e ntal

How Theory is used in Research

Causal theory of planned behaviour

Theory Generating Research

• It is designed to develop and describe relationships between and
among phenomena without imposing preconceived notations.
 • It is inductive and includes field observations and phenomenology.

• During the theory generating process, the researcher moves by

logical thought from fact to theory by means of a proposition stated as
an empirical generalization.
Grounded Theory Research
• Inductive research technique developed by Glazer and Strauss
(1967)
• Grounded theory provides a way to describe what is happening
and understanding the process of why it happens.
• Methodology – The researcher observes, collects data, organizes
data and forms theory from the data at the same time.
• Data may be collected by interview, observation, records or a
combination of these techniques.
• Data are coded in preparation for analysis.
• Category development – Categories are identified and named
• Category saturation – Comparison of similar characteristics in each
of the categories
• Concept development – Defines the categories
• Search for additional categories – Continues to examine the data
for additional categories
• Category reduction – Higher order categories are selected
• Linking of categories – The researcher seeks to understand
relationships among categories
• Selective sampling of the literature
• Emergence of the core variable – Central theme are focus of the
theory
• Concept modification and integration – Explaining the phenomenal
Theory testing research
• In theory testing research, theoretical statements are translated
into questions and hypothesis. It requires a deductive reasoning process.
• The interpretation determines whether the study supports are
contradicts the propositional statement.
• If a conceptual model is used as a theoretical framework for
research it is not theory testing.
• Theory testing requires detailed examination of theoretical
relationships.
Theory as a conceptual framework
• Problem being investigated is fit into an existing theoretical
framework, which guides the study and enriches the value of its findings.
• The conceptual definitions are drawn from the framework
• The data collection instrument is congruent with the framework.
• Findings are interpreted in light of explanations provided by the
framework.
• Implications are based on the explanatory power of a framework.
A Typology of Research
 • Testing
• Analyzing
• Experimentation
• Deducting
• Deductive research
• Quantitative research
• The scientific method
• Theory / hypothesis testing
• Assaying
• Refining
• Interpreting
• Reflecting
• Inducing
• Inductive research
• Qualitative research
• Phenomenological research
• Theory generation
• ‘Divining’; ‘heuristic’ research
Guidelines for writing about a research study’s theoretical
framework
In the study’s problem statement
o Introduce the framework
o Briefly explain why it is a good fit for the research problem
area
o At the end of the literature review
o Thoroughly describe the framework and explain its
application to the present study.
o Describe how the framework has been used in studies
about similar problems
o In the study’s methodology section
o Explain how the framework is being operationalized in the
study’s design.
o Explain how data collection methods (such as questionnaire
items) reflect the concepts in the framework.
o In the study’s discussion section
o Describe how study findings are consistent (or inconsistent)
with the framework.
o Offer suggestions for practice and further research that are
congruent with the framework’s concepts and propositions.
Conclusion
The relationship between research and theory is undeniable, and it is
important to recognize the impact of this relationships on the
development of nursing knowledge. So interface theory and research by
 generating theories, testing the theories and by using it as a conceptual
framework that drives the study.
Reference
1. George B. Julia , Nursing Theories- The base for professional
Nursing Practice , 3rd ed. Norwalk, Appleton and Lange.
2. Polit DF, Hungler BP. Nursing Research: Principles and Methods.
Philadelphia: JB Lippincott Company; 1998.
3. Burns N, Grove SK. The practice of Nursing Research. 4th Ed.
Philadelphia: WB Saunders Publications; 2001.
4. Treece JW, Treece EW. Elements of Research in Nursing (3rded.).
St. Louis: Mosby; 1982.