THEORY APPLICATION PAPER

Nursing 306- Theoretical Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice

Theory Application Paper
Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this paper is designed to allow the student the opportunity to complete an
in-depth analysis of a nursing theory/model. Analysis of the theory coupled with
application to a clinical scenario is intended to demonstrate the relevance of nursing
theories to professional practice
Approach to Assignment
I approached this assignment by looking at different theories to nursing and picking the
one that I found to be most interesting and the one that applied to my nursing practice.
Reason for Inclusion
This assignment is included to show the understanding of a nursing theory and how it is
relevant to nursing practice.
Curricular outcomes
Critical thinking
Uses nursing and other appropriate theories and models to guide professional
practice.
In this section I used Penders theory to guide my professional practice. Her
model is A Conceptual Model for Preventative Health Behavior. It is a basis for
studying how individuals made decisions about their own health care in nursing.
Nursing Practice
Demonstrates an awareness of commentary modalities and their usefulness in
promoting health.
This is discussed in the Health Promotion model; this is the basis on Penders
theory. The concentration is on promoting health in all patients. As well as for
the patient to take control of their own health.
Communication
Uses therapeutic communication within the nurse-patient relationship.
This is demonstrated in the theory by allowing the patient to express their health
promotion, reflect self-awareness, and attempt to achieve personally acceptable
balance between change and stability. The patient has to be able to communicate
these to the nurse, so that she will be able to identify additional needs of the
patient.

Teaching
Uses information technologies and other appropriate methods to enhance
ones own knowledge base.
By researching Penders theory of nursing I was able to enhance my nursing
knowledge about health promotion with patients and how they can take part in
their own health promotion and responsibility for their own health.
Research
Evaluates research that focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness of nursing
interventions:
Research in this paper shows that by promoting health, healthcare costs would be
cut as well as the need for healthcare providers. The effectiveness of nursing is
shown by patients taking more responsibility of their own healthcare.
Leadership
Articulates the values of the profession and the role of the nurse as member of
the interdisciplinary health care team.
The nurses role with Penders theory is to promote health in the patient and have
the patient take responsibility of their own health. As mentioned in the paper, in
my clinical practice, the nurses provided education as a member of the
interdisciplinary team and the importance of smoking cessation with open-heart
surgery. We provide teaching before, after and during their hospitalization. The
goal is for the patient to take the education and apply it to their health, promoting
health in the patient.
Professionalism
Demonstrates accountability for ones own professional practice.
I am demonstrating accountability for my own professional practice by promoting
health for my patients by educating them at their pre-op visits to the clinic as well
as follow up phone calls with the patient. This is done with the education of
smoking cessation and the importance of it. Patients are then responsible for their
health by making the choice to quit.
Culture
Articulates an understanding of how human behavior is affected by culture,
race, religion, gender, lifestyle, and age.
In the studies that support Penders theory and health promotion; they look at the
age of the caregiver, the relationship to the patient, income, gender, education,
employment status, number of health problems, health status, and length or
caregiving. These all coincide with health promotion behaviors and how it affects
the caregivers abilities.
What has changed through my Nursing theory paper?

I was able to identify that I was already using Penders theory in my nursing practice and
throughout this paper; I was able to research the theory in more detail and learn how to
promote health in patients throughout my career.