Course Code: NRS 500

Course Title: Foundation of Nursing Practice

Course Units: 3 (48 hrs)

Course Description: This course deals with the nursing history, concepts, theories and the
nursing process as it relates to practice. The focus of the course is on the exploration of the
nature of theory development in nursing; analysis and evaluation of nursing and related
theories; and relevance of theory in terms of impact on professional nursing practice, and
individuals, families, groups as clients in health care systems

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

• discuss the history of Nursing and the emergence of Nursing Theories
• analyze and evaluate Nursing theories and correlate them to nursing practice, education,
administration, management and research
• describe the theoretical basis for advanced nursing practice in specific professional
nursing environments
• demonstrate advance skills in the use of the nursing process.
• implement strategies for theory development within the discipline of nursing.
• analyze the impact of government on the growth of health care and development of
nursing
• discuss the contributions of nursing leaders in the development of nursing and nursing
theories.
• appreciate the importance to a profession’s understanding of its own theories.

Session Topics Activities

1 Unit I. PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE AND NURSING Library Research
A. Nursing as Profession and Academic Web searches
Discipline Group Discussion
B. Nursing Philosophy and Epistemology Class Participation
C. Evolution of Nursing

2 Unit II. OVERVIEW OF THEORY IN NURSING Library Research

A. Definition of Related Terms Web searches
B. Importance of Theory in Nursing Group Discussion
C. Stages in the Development of Class Participation
Nursing Theory Reflection paper
1. Historical Overview
2. Stages of Theory
Development in Nursing
D. Approaches in Theory Development
E. Issues in Theory Development

3 Unit III. THEORIES AND CONCEPTS OF NURSING Library Research

A. Concept Development Web searches
1. Types of Concepts Group Discussion
2. Sources of Concepts Class Participation
3. Purposes of Concept Oral reporting
Development
4. Steps in Concept Analysis
5. Steps in Concept Derivation
B. Classifications of Theories in Nursing
1. Scope of Theory
2. Type or Purpose of Theory
 3. Source or Discipline
C. Criteria in the Analysis and
Evaluation of Nursing Theories
D. Nursing Theories and Models
1. Grand Nursing Theories
1.1 Human Needs Models Reflection paper
and Theories Theory Evaluation/
1.1.1 Faye Abdellah Critiquing
1.1.2 Virginia
Henderson
1.1.3 Dorothy
Johnson
1.1.4 Florence
Nightingale
1.1.5 Betty Neuman
1.1.6 Dorothea Orem

1.2 Interactive Process Oral presentation

Models and Theories
1.2.1 Barbara Artinian Theory Evaluation/
and Margaret Critiquing
Conger
1.2.2 Helen Erickson,
Evelyn Tomlin
and Mary Ann
Swain
1.2.3 Imogene King
1.2.4 Myra Estrin
Levine
1.2.5 Sister Callista
Roy
1.2.6 Jean Watson
1.3 Unitary Process Models
and Theories Midterm examination
1.3.1 Margaret
4 Newman
1.3.2 Rosemarie
Parse
1.3.3 Martha Rogers
2. Middle-Range Nursing
Theories
2.1 Patricia Benner
2.2 Madeline Leininger
2.3 Nola Pender
E. Borrowed Theories used by Nurses
1. Theories from the
Sociological Sciences
2. Theories from the Behavioral
Sciences
3. Theories from the Biomedical
Sciences

5 Unit IV. APPLICATION OF NURSING THEORIES Library Research

A. Nursing Practice Web searches
B. Nursing Research Group Discussion
C. Nursing Administration Class Participation
D. Nursing Education Oral Presentation
Reflection paper

6 Unit V. NURSING PROCESS Library Research

A. Historical Perspective Web searches
B. Description of the Nursing Process Group Discussion
 C. Steps of the Nursing process Class Participation
1. Assessment Oral reporting
2. Nursing Diagnosis Reflection paper
3. Planning
4. Implementation
5. Evaluation
D. Documentation
E. Integrating Nursing Theory and Case Study
Process into Practice
Submission of final
paper

Final Examination

Suggested Readings and References

Aligood, M.A. (2017). Nursing theorists and their work. St. Louis: The C.V. Mosby Company

Berman, A.T. (2015). Kozier & Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing (10th Edition).  Prentice Hall

Butts, J.B. & Rich, K.L. (2017). Philosophies and Theories for Advanced Nursing Practice 3rd
Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 3rd edition (March 23, 2017)
.
Chinn, P.L. ( 2017) . Knowledge Development in Nursing: Theory and Process. Mosby; 10th
edition (December 18, 2017)

Murray, M.E. & and Atkinson, L. (2006) Understanding the pursing Process. 6th ed. New York:
McGraw Hill

Mcewen, M. (2014). Theoretical basis for nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Smith, M.C. (2019). Nursing Theories and Nursing Practice. F.A. Davis Company; 5th edition

Walker, L.O. (2018).  Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Prentice Hall

Internet Sources:

BU Canvas LMS https://baliuagu.instructure.com/login/canvas

Nursing Theories http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/nursing_theorists.html

Theories about nursing and health http://nurseslabs.com/nursing-nursing-related-theories-

theorists-an-ultimate-guide/
Nursing Models http://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/

The Nursing Process - American Nurses Association

http://www.nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/What-is-Nursing/Tools-You-
Need/Thenursingprocess.html

The Nursing Process Assessment Diagnosis Planning

www.mjc.edu/instruction/alliedhealth/adnprogram/nursingprocessoverview.pdf

Grading system

Class Exercises 30%

Oral Report
Class Recitation

Examinations 45%
Midterm
 Final

Final paper 25%