Strategies and conditions for teaching theoretical nursing: an international perspective

Abstract

How, when, and why to teach nursing theory are still central questions for nurse educators. The questions are restated and generalized to the whys, and hows, and the whens to incorporate theoretical nursing rather than nursing theory in nursing education. Process and strategies for teaching theoretical nursing are compared and contrasted with those related to research. We propose the use of similar strategies and add several essential conditions related to theoretical nursing. In teaching theoretical nursing, educators are expected to develop an environment that values theory and ways by which a theoretical identity is facilitated and fostered in students. Critical and reflective thinking as well as the role modelling of local models of excellence are central ingredients in the development of nurses who are committed to using and developing theories. One approach in incorporating theory in curricula is to identify central components and goals such as historical analyses, domain boundaries, theory utilization, process and strategies for theory development and testing. Once components are identified, faculty can make a decision about where to incorporate them. We have proposed several approaches that incorporate theoretical nursing in undergraduate and graduate programmes.