All of these options are important to the practice of nursing. Which option is likely the most important?

Question

1. The applicability of theories from other disciplines to nursing practice.
2. The need for nursing to establish its own theoretical base.
3. Replication of theoretical research for validation.
4. Comparing historical theory to today's society.

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: Whereas all of these options are concerned with nursing theoretical research, the most important is likely whether the theories that so much of nursing practice is based on are actually applicable to the practice of nursing.
Rationale 2: This is an important consideration, but whether the theories that nursing has borrowed from other disciplines actually apply to nursing has major importance to the practice.
Rationale 3: Theories should be tested and retested; however, it is extremely important to know if the theories that nursing has borrowed from other disciplines actually apply to nursing.
Rationale 4: Theories should be tested and retested, and should be evaluated for timeliness; however, it is extremely important to know if the theories that nursing has borrowed from other disciplines actually apply to nursing.