Nursing Theories

As nurses enter into the practice of nursing, they recognize the importance of using their education to guide their actions within the clinical setting. “Theories are pattern that guide the thinking about, being and doing, of nursing” (Parker, 2006, p.8). Comparing theories allows the core structure of the theories to be brought to light, as well as display the merits of using a particular theory while practicing nursing. The theories of Martha Rogers and Betty Neuman were developed at roughly the same point in time, which means that different theories can arise out of the same general world situation. Rogers Science of Unitary Beings illustrates a truly holistic view, as it hypothesizes that human beings and their environment are energy fields which are irreducible elements of the universe. On the other hand, Neuman uses a systematic model to describe human-environment interaction. While these theories have similarities, their differences as models for nursing and in clinical use provide great insight into how important theories are to nursing practice and research. This paper will discuss the theories of Rogers and Neuman, their implications in practice and research, and the future of these theories in nursing. These two theories were chosen because they provide differing perspectives on how humans interact with the world, community and healthcare.

As one of nursing’s leading scientists, Martha Rogers developed the “Martha E. Rogers’ Science of Unitary Beings” to provide a scientific and holistic theory for nursing and nursing education (Parker, 2006, p. 160). The largest part of her theory rests in the concept of energy fields, which Rogers believed was the focus of nursing, rather than health or health promotion (Parker, 2...

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... for these reasons still unconfirmed as a popular theory within nursing. Its ability to be used as a base for transcultural nursing in an age of globalization provides some stability for the theory. In addition, the Rogerian Journal of Nursing Science, which was founded in 1974, continues to promote research and application of Rogers’ theory (Parker, 2006, p. 161). Nurses who read and contribute to this journal remain strong proponents of this theory, and the journal’s acceptance as an academic resource shows that this theory will be in place for a long time. However, without more acceptance by the general healthcare community, Rogers’ theory will still remain on the fringes of nursing education. So although, Rogers’ Science of Unitary beings has many cultural benefits for nursing, the theory remains unlikely to be used in practice until it gains wider acceptance.