Deck 5: Theories and Frameworks for Professional Nursing Practice

Question 1

A nurse in the oncology clinic uses Aguilera's theory of coping to work with patients.After assessing the patient's usual coping strategies and the patient's perception of the event, what action should the nurse take next?

A) Assess for available situational coping supports.
B) Determine if there are concurrent developmental crises.
C) Question the patient's readiness to make needed changes.
D) Work to reduce the perceived threat to the patient.

Answer 1

Assess for available situational coping supports.

Question 2

A nurse working in a rehabilitation unit wishes to use nursing theory to guide a personal concept of practice but has become frustrated when the chosen theory does not seem to be helpful.The nurse consults an expert on theory.What statement by the theory expert would best help the nurse choose a theory from which to work?

A) "Any theory should work fine for you as long as you understand the concepts."
B) "Choose a theory that has clear explanations of all four key concepts."
C) "Rehabilitation nursing is probably too broad to find an appropriate theory."
D) "Since you work in a specialized area, use a theory that is very specific."

Answer 2

"Since you work in a specialized area, use a theory that is very specific."

Question 3

A word or phrase used to convey the main thoughts in ideas, observations, and experiences is called a:

A) concept.
B) construct.
C) proposition.
D) theory.

Answer 3

concept.

Question 4

A nursing educator summarizes the role of nursing theory across the domains of nursing practice, education, and research by pointing out that in all three areas, theory:

A) assists nurses to view patients and information in a uniform way.
B) is useful for prediction but not for driving nursing activities.
C) rigidly structures data collection and protocol implementation.
D) serves to organize information in a meaningful, useful manner.

Question 5

A nurse subscribing to Neuman's system model would explain to a patient that illness is caused by:

A) disharmony between the patient and the patient's environment.
B) disorganization and dysfunction, leading to imbalances in the system.
C) losing the ability to successfully negotiate differing social roles.
D) structural disturbances that limit the patient's self-care abilities.

Question 6

A nursing unit subscribes to Orem's theory as an overarching conceptual framework for nursing care.A nurse on that unit would most likely include which intervention in a patient's plan of care?

A) Address all questions and concerns to the eldest male relative present.
B) Assist the patient to order nutritious, heart-healthy foods from the menu.
C) Dress the patient's lower body and then have the patient dress his or her own upper body.
D) Help the family understand the patient's lived experience of the illness.

Question 7

Using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which patient should the nurse assess first?

A) Complains of pain of 6 on a scale of 1 to 10
B) Crying after receiving a terminal diagnosis
C) Disoriented and agitated
D) Waiting for discharge teaching

Question 8

The nurse using Watson's theory to guide practice would put highest priority on:

A) assisting patients to achieve the state of self-actualization.
B) creating a caring relationship with the patient.
C) helping the patient understands the role of stress on illness.
D) negotiating health care in a culturally congruent manner.

Question 9

The nursing instructor summarizes Imogene King's view of health as:

A) a state of harmony with the environment.
B) being able to function in social roles.
C) stability within the human system.
D) the absence of illness or disability.

Question 10

A nurse whose practice is most strongly guided by Nightingale's theory would likely incorporate which intervention into the patient's plan of care?

A) Allow the patient to have uninterrupted periods of rest.
B) Assist the patient with activities of daily living (ADLs)and other self-care deficits.
C) Encourage the patient to be as independent as possible.
D) Use installation of faith and hope to encourage the patient.

Question 11

A nurse explains to a patient's family that the role of nursing is to help the patient with self-care when the patient is unable to do so.The nurse is using the theory of:

A) Dorothea Orem.
B) Imogene King.
C) Jean Watson.
D) Virginia Henderson.

Question 12

A nursing manager is explaining to the staff how nursing theory is related to all components of nursing practice.What statement by the manager best outlines this concept?

A) Conceptual frameworks are the basic building blocks of theory and practice.
B) Education is the foundation for all nursing understanding, including theory.
C) Nursing knowledge can only be derived from well-tested theoretical models.
D) Theory informs practice, research, and education, which in turn inform theory.

Question 13

A student studying nursing theory recognizes that unique concepts in Martha Rogers' science of unitary human beings include:

A) carative factors.
B) cognator subsystems.
C) homeodynamics.
D) open systems.

Question 14

The nursing instructor explains that a theory, at its simplest, aims to do what?

A) Describe, explain, or predict relationships among concepts.
B) Explain nursing in the broadest terms possible.
C) Generate knowledge to be tested in practice situations.
D) Predict what people will do in certain situations.

Question 15

A nurse works in the intensive care unit (ICU)and is looking for an explanation of how patients and families experience weaning from ventilators.This nurse would find the most useful information by searching for an appropriate:

A) corollary theory.
B) grand theory or framework.
C) midrange theory.
D) practice-level theory.

Question 16

A nurse whose practice is guided by Peplau's theory would judge that care objectives had been met when the patient:

A) assists in setting goals that they work together to meet.
B) has mastered all tasks and knowledge needed for self-care.
C) is able to adapt to limitations and alter ways of doing activities of daily living (ADLs).
D) understands the effects of stress in exacerbating illness.

Question 17

A patient is angry and frustrated and is complaining bitterly to the nurse about these feelings.The nurse sits quietly and listens attentively, nodding occasionally.What Watson caritas process is the nurse using?

A) Creating a healing environment
B) Developing helping, trusting, and caring relationships
C) Practicing loving kindness
D) Promoting and accepting positive and negative feelings

Question 18

A nurse volunteers time in a homeless shelter and wants to set up a free vaccination clinic in the shelter.Although the shelter's managers think that vaccinations are a good idea, they are skeptical that clients will take the time to visit the nurse.What modification to the proposal would generate better success according to Maslow?

A) Educate the shelter clients on the benefits of vaccines.
B) Give vaccinations after meals in a corner of the cafeteria.
C) Make vaccinations mandatory for staying at the shelter.
D) Offer vaccinations as clients check in to spend the night.

Question 19

A nurse is working with a family from a different culture with which he or she is not familiar.The family insists on continuing health practices that the nurse is trying to get them to abandon.This results in the nurse viewing the family as noncompliant, because they seem to understand the instructions.Which action by the nurse would be most helpful?

A) Ask the family to describe the importance of their beliefs.
B) Call an interpreter to make sure they really understand.
C) Determine whether instructions are available in their language.
D) Give the family both written and verbal instructions.

Question 20

A nursing student is explaining to his or her family that nursing differs from medicine primarily in that nursing:

A) does not consider the patient's environment.
B) is concerned with the wholeness of human beings.
C) primarily involves following doctors' orders.
D) revolves completely around systems theory.

Question 21

The nurse using Nightingale's theory to guide nursing practice will manipulate which features in the environment to enhance patient healing? (Select all that apply.)

A) Airflow
B) Light
C) Noise
D) Roommates
E) Temperature

Question 22

Theories attempt to explain the relationships among the central phenomena of nursing, which include: (Select all that apply.)

A) caring.
B) environment.
C) health/illness.
D) nursing.
E) person.

Question 23

A nurse uses Roy's model to guide nursing care.When using this model, what stimuli would be important for the nurse to assess? (Select all that apply.)

A) Adaptive stimuli: stimuli the patient knows is beneficial
B) Contextual stimuli: all stimuli in the patient's environment
C) Focal stimuli: what is confronting the patient immediately?
D) Residual stimuli: stimuli that is left over from prior experience
E) Transient stimuli: stimuli that is not expected to have a permanent effect

Question 24

A nurse manager is planning a major change on an inpatient unit.Using Lewin's theory, what areas does the manager assess? (Select all that apply.)

A) Coping factors
B) Driving forces
C) Motivators
D) Restraining forces
E) States of change

Question 25

The nursing student learning about theory understands that which terms are sometimes used instead of "grand theory"? (Select all that apply.)

A) Conceptual model
B) Framework
C) Interrelated model
D) Paradigm
E) System

Question 26

A nurse works in an emergency department and frequently uses Lazarus's theory of coping.When a family is distraught by a family member's apparent heart attack, what action by the nurse is best from this theory's standpoint? (Select all that apply.)

A) Assess the family for coping strategies used during previous crises.
B) Begin assessing the family for discharge teaching and support needs.
C) Help the family understand treatments available to manage the condition.
D) Inform the family of the location of the cafeteria and waiting rooms.
E) Provide the family with food and beverages as a universal sign of caring.