Chapter 7 Theoretical Frameworks – Flashcards

Collections of interrelated concepts that depict a piece of theory that is to be examined as the basis for research studies. These are the foundations that guide the research.

A method of perceiving reality and mapping the complex processes of human action and interaction that affect nursing care.

The most abstract and complex theories, broadly defining concepts that are central to the nursing profession and linking them together using the theorist's view of the discipline.

Those nursing theories located midway between abstract and concrete theories that are more limited in scope and address specific phenomena or concepts.

Precise theories that are much narrower in scope and usually related to a particular situation or set of circumstances in nursing practice.

● Study design ● Applicability of the findings ● Potential value to the practice

Middle-range theories

Theories taken from other disciplines and used as frameworks or models for nursing practice.

Theories that have been borrowed, tested, and found to be empirically adequate in more than one discipline.

■ Concepts ■ Constructs ■ Conceptual definitions ■ Relational statements ■ Conceptual models

An abstract idea that is used to describe or identify phenomena.

A broad or high-level concept that is often complex and abstract.

● Level of generality (grand theories, middle-range theories, microtheories) ● Discipline/nondiscipline (nursing theories, borrowed theories, shared theories)

Clearly stated meanings of the abstract ideas or concepts used by a researcher in a study.

A definition of the relationships between and among concepts in a theory that are its foundation.

A visualization of a grouping of phenomena involving more than one conceptual map in which interrelated phenomena are linked together for broader interpretation.

-selecting and defining concepts, -examining concepts for relationships, -determining all the characteristics of those relationships, and -mapping out the concepts appropriately

Determine all the concepts, constructs, and operational definitions listed in a framework.

Determine the definitions for each concept and construct and examine each for adequacy and literature citation support. A concept analysis may be indicated for multidimensional concepts.

Determine the relationships between concepts and examine each for adequacy and support in the literature.

Determine all the variables listed in the study and determine if they adequately reflect the constructs or concepts identified in the study, as well as demonstrate adequate reliability and validity.

Determine if the hypotheses, research questions, or objectives are logically linked to the proposed framework, and if the framework is adequate to explain the phenomena.

Determine if the design (including setting, subjects, sample size, and analyses methods) are appropriate.

Determine if the findings are interpreted in terms of the framework, can be used to validate the framework or not, and are consistent with findings from other studies that use the same framework.

1. Extract each concept from the framework and locate each concept definition within the study; these are examined for consistency. Each conceptual definition should have a validating reference from the literature. 2. Determine how the relationships between the concepts are described, analyzed, and validated; these should similarly be compared with the theorist's definition and references. 3. Examine the claims of the researcher in relation to the framework and determine if the framework is adequate to explain the phenomena and relationships being examined in the research study. This review should give the nurse reader an idea of whether the theoretical framework has been appropriately used as a basis for the research study, represented accurately, and reported in a way that is consistent with the original theory.

-The theoretical framework for the research is clearly identified early in the report. -The theoretical basis for the research is described in sufficient depth that the context for the research design can be deduced. -If no theoretical foundation is identified, the development of theory is an outcome of the study. -The theoretical framework is consistent with the research question, design, variables, and interpretation of the study. -Concepts, constructs, and operational definitions are listed in the framework. -The definitions are adequate and supported by literature citations. -The authors report the expected relationships between concepts, based on the theoretical framework. -The research design logically flows from the theoretical foundation and the relationships that are expected. -The authors refer to the theoretical framework when interpreting the outcome of the study.

__________________ may not start with theory but seek to develop and test it. -______________________ building general knowledge based on specific observations.

_________________have their beginnings in theory, because these designs are __________________, meaning they go from general theoretical ideas to testing specific ideas. The intent of the research will drive how a theoretical framework is used.

credibility and to develop nursing knowledge. By building on previous knowledge, evidence for best practices is established.

-refine the question, identify variables, pose cause-and-effect questions, and determine expected relationships. This requires a mix of inspiration, persistence, and disciplined inquiry, but it is critical to ensure that the results can be confidently applied as evidence for nursing practice.

-that the nurse researcher select and define the basic ideas to be tested in a study, -find and examine concepts and relationships between them, and -determine the characteristics of relationships.

limits the use of the results in practice and constrains the ability to build future research studies from the results

a nurse may use Orem's 1995 theory of self-care to guide the nursing process. Orem believed that the nurses' role is to facilitate an individual's efforts to achieve self-care. The nurse may support or supplant the patient's efforts to meet their needs, and so nursing practice is a series of actions intended to achieve this end. An evidence-based practice guideline developed based on Orem's theoretical framework would focus on helping the patient achieve the capacity for optimal self-care.

Roy's 1970 theory of adaptation. Sister Callista Roy believed that health was a result of the individual's interaction with the environment, and that nursing care is intended to help the patient adapt to the environment in an optimal way. If the nurse believed in Roy's theory, then the basis for most nursing care would be actions to help the patient adapt physiologically, psychosocially, and spiritually.

Kolcaba's 1994 theory of holistic comfort in nursing can be useful in the development of evidence-based practice guidelines. This theory is based on assumptions that human beings have holistic responses to complex stimuli, strive to meet basic comfort needs, and that nursing as a profession embraces comfort provision. Practice guidelines based on this theory would focus on assessing the patient's holistic needs and developing approaches to meet those needs that focus on the maintenance of comfort.

the theory of transitions, developed and tested by Meleis et al. (2000). This theory advances the notion that changes in health and illness create a state of transition that is both "a result of and result in change in lives, health, relationships and environment" (p. 12). Transitions cause persons to be vulnerable, and the nurse's role is to help the patient transition away from vulnerability. Practice guidelines based on this theory would determine the patient's vulnerabilities—including those that are a result of illness, lifespan, and sociocultural changes—and plan interventions that helps address those vulnerabilities.

choosing a concept of interest, like "issue of adequate staffing"

An initial literature search is performed related to the topic. From this information, a further refinement of the idea occurs, which may lead the researcher to decide that "nurse burnout due to inadequate staffing" is of more interest.

numerous published frameworks and models related to "nurse burnout".

the literature, using previously established definitions where possible, to build on prior research and keep a consistency in language.

linked together in statements that describe the expected relationships, or they can be mapped diagrammatically. Relationships are generally found using the literature, which defines and describes the concepts. However, relationships may also need to be synthesized from what is discovered in the overall literature review.

a framework that best depicts the concept(s) and its relationship(s) as determined from the researcher's investigation. In this case, perhaps the "nursing worklife model of burnout" (Leiter & Spence-Laschinger, 2006) is appropriate.

he or she should then perform a literature review to search for studies detailing use of the framework, examine the resulting studies, and assess the conclusions for application to the nurse researcher's own study. Building a body of support for the selection of a framework is a necessary step in the process. Successful applications of the framework are noted as well as problems or adaptations that were required.

the researcher can begin to apply the chosen framework as a road map to design the study. For example, the researcher might identify concepts that reflect "nursing burnout", "ways of measuring these concepts as variables", and "expectations about how burnout and staffing are related". These may all translate into elements of the ultimate research design.

-finding the major variables in a study, -analyzing the levels of abstraction among the variables, -identifying hypothesized relationships among variables, and -connecting the theoretical basis of the study to the methodology

frameworks that are the necessary backbones of a research study. Building a study on a sound theoretical frame-work is one of the essentials of a good research study.