Page 16 - Laker Connection Fall 2016

on the nursing theories. At the end of each chapter the authors have outlined activities to use art, research and discussion to imaginatively engage the students to better retain the knowledge.
“The authors are able to present complex, abstract information in a way that makes ‘theory’ more accessible to students,” says Dr. Jennell Charles, R.N. and associate professor in the School of Nursing. “It provides an overview of the development and usefulness of theory to nursing practice and ties specific theoretical frameworks to practice and research activities. Students are able to gain an appreciation of the potential impact of theory on their own practice.”
Theories with special meaning
Dr. Eichelberger shared which nursing theories have a special meaning to her personally.
“Roger’s Theory is my personal nursing theory that I adopted during my doctoral study and it is what kept me in nursing. I was searching for something to challenge me and make me ponder the “why’ and “what if”
and the interconnectedness of time, life, space and oneness of humans and how we all relate to one another and how patients and nurse fit into that scheme. Roger’s theory of Unitary Human Beings did that for me and I have used those concepts as a basis for my research and practice since that time,” says Eichelberger.
For Roger’s Theory, students often use the idea of space and orbs of light to creatively illustrate the theory’s concepts.
One of the more recent theories added is the Meleis’ Transitions Theory, which is the framework for the curriculum at Clayton State University. Meleis’ and Eichelberger worked closely to write the chapter about the theory.
“We (Clayton State University) have served as a model for other schools in how to use the Transitions Model in curricula and Dr. Meleis, Dean Emeritus at University of Pennsylvania has become a good friend and colleague of mine,” Eicrhelberger says.
Eichelberger says Meleis’ theory is still being interpreted with artistic illustration. Like most nursing theories, Eichelberger says, each one is as different as nurses themselves. Many theories are focused on nursing practice, but as Eicrhelberger notes in her textbook, future ones could be developed to explore how nursing can be affected by social issues including the environment, health, religion and global poverty.
Nursing students need to understand foundational constructs of the nursing discipline. The use of multiple theories help to explain these concepts and how they intertwine. Theories can help guide students into understanding their personal practice. The use of visual adaptations of theories forces the student to breakdown the theories into manageable pieces and reconstruct something meaningful to them.
Dina M. Swearngin, R.N., M.S.N., Ed.D.
Clayton State University, Assistant Professor School of Nursing
14