NUR 125

Theoretical Perspectives in Health

Week Six 2023/24

Theory Development, Analysis and Evaluation

2025-01-24 copyright Elaine Santa Mina RN PhD 1

 Explain Explain the steps in theory development.

Define Define person and family care as a central

construct across nursing theories

Objectives
Describe Describe Walker and Avant’s process for
analyzing theories

Describe Describe the dimensions in analyzing,

evaluating, and comparing theories
 Readings
McEwen, M. (2023). Theory development: Structuring Conceptual Relationships in Nursing. In M. McEwen & E. M.
Wills (Eds.), Theoretical basis for nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. Unit I chapter 4.

McEwen, M. (2023). Theory Analysis and Evaluation. In M. McEwen & E. M. Wills (Eds.), Theoretical basis for
nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. Unit I chapter 5.

McEwen, M. (2023). Overview of Selected Middle-Range Nursing Theories. In M. McEwen & E. M. Wills (Eds.),
Theoretical basis for nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer. Chapter 11. P 237-240.

Meleis, A., Sawyer, L., Eun-Ok, I., Hilfinger Messias, D., Schumacher, K. (2000). Experiencing Transitions: An
Emerging Middle-Range Theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 23(1), 12-28.

Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. (2015). Person-and Family-Centred Care. Toronto, ON: Registered Nurses’
Association of Ontario p.73-74.

Schumacher, K. & Meleis, A. (1994). Transitions: A Central Concept in Nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 26(2)
119-127.
.
Review from week four

Theory: cognitive ideas the build begins with the philosophy has construct consists
construction of an upon one another most abstract of broad of one or more
understanding the to create an ideas, a phenomenon, concepts, which
relatedness explanation of a philosophy or refined in are more precisely
between and that discipline specific breadth, scope, defined: lend
among events in understanding metaparadigm. and less themselves to
our world. abstraction to measurement
create a relationship
construct. statements
between and
among two or
more concepts
initiates the
explanation of a
theory
Review from week four

THE NATURE OF
CONDITION: TYPE, THE TRANSITION THE PATTERNS OF THE POSSIBLE
PATTERN, AND CONDITIONS: RESPONSE: PROCESS NURSING
PROPERTIES. PERSONAL, INDICATORS, THERAPEUTICS:
COMMUNITY AND OUTCOMES
SOCIETY. INDICATORS.

2025-01-24 Copyright E. Santa Mina RN PhD 5

Small group discussions: case study ‘
‘A new BScN RN in a long-term care setting’
In this scenario, what
would you identify as a Does the phenomenon Does the construct
phenomenon, a contribute the creation contribute to the
construct, and a of the construct? concept?
concept.

Do you see a theory Is there an assumption Is there a hypothesis

emerging here from the that you might be that you might be
constructs or concepts? making in this scenario, making in this scenario,
What might that be? what might that be? what might that be?
Small group discussions: case study
Is there an empirical indicator in this scenario? If so, what is it?

Describe a relational statement from this scenario.

Is there evidence of a taxonomy and if so, what is it?

How has naturalism informed this scenario?

How has positivism informed this scenario?

 Interactive Engagement
On your handheld device, laptop or ipad
GO TO Menti.com
I will ask a question
You will answer on your device by
Typing the code that I give you into the menti.com site
Type in your responses
Watch all attendee responses show up on the screen!
Hierarchy of
theory
classifications
based on
abstractions from
highest to lowest
Menti meter exercise
Descriptive theories

T/F MENTI METER

Predictive theories

T/F Menti meter

Middle range theory purpose

T/F MENTI METER

Explanatory theories

T/F MENTI METER

Descriptive theories

T/F

Menti meter
Five Stages of
theory
development
Menti meters (two)
Theory Development Step
1: Concept Development

How are concepts developed?

• Mentimeter
Care as a Foundational Construct
for all nursing practice.
Please review the Registered Nurses’
Association of Ontario. (2015). Person-
and Family-Centred Care. Toronto, ON:
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
p.73-74 for its definition of caring in the
context of person and family centred care

What are the key concepts in the

construct ‘person and family centred
care?
 Care as a Foundational
Construct for all nursing
practice.

There are 10 principles

that inform the concepts
in the caring construct.

Can you identify them?

Theory Development Step 2.
Statement Development

What happens in theory

statement development?
Theory Development Step 3
Theory Construction

What happens in the construction

of the theory
Theory
Development
Step 4.
Testing
Theoretical
Relationship
s

What activities
occur in theory
testing?
Theory
Development
Step 5.
Application of
Theory to Practice
Back to the case study: Small group

Using Meleis model in this case study:

Identify the nature of condition: type, pattern, and properties.

Identify the transition conditions: personal, community and society.

Identify the patterns of response: process indicators, outcomes indicators.

Identify the possible nursing therapeutics:

 What type of theory is this according to
its level of abstraction

Using Walker and

Avant’s criteria for
theory evaluation, What is the purpose of this theory?
analyze and
evaluate Meleis’
theory as applied to
the case study. What classification of purpose is this?

What components of its classification

purpose identify it with this
classification?
 Was its purpose meaningful to your
understanding of transition in this
scenario? If so, how, if not why?
Back to the case
study: Small group:
Using Walker and
Avant’s criteria for
Are complete descriptions provided
theory evaluation, for the concepts of this theory?
analyze and evaluate
Meleis’ theory as
applied to the case
study.
If so, were they meaningful to your
understanding of transition in this
scenario?
 Is the theory logical and
Back to the case congruent as you applied it your
understanding of transition in this scenario?
study: Small group: If so, how, if not why?

Using Walker and Avant’s Are there any important missing

criteria for theory concepts or components of the theory that
you discovered as you applied it to your
evaluation, analyze and transition in this scenario?

evaluate Meleis’ theory as •

Is the theory useful to guide your
applied to the case study. transition to this new role on the long-term care
unit in this scenario? If so, how, if not why?
What steps do all methods Word cloud
to analyze and evaluate Menti meter
theory have in common?
Refer to the article by Meleis, A.,
Sawyer, L., Eun-Ok, I., Hilfinger
Messias, D., Schumacher, K.
(2000). Experiencing Transitions:
An Emerging Middle-Range
Theory. Advances in Nursing
Science, 23(1), 12-28.

What is the relationship

between theory, research,
and practice in this article?

Ment meter
Test Yourself
Question 1
What is the relationship between theory and research.
Check all that apply.

a. no relationship
b. research validates and modifies theory.
c. theory informs research
d. research informs theory which can inform research
e relationship between theory and research. Check all that
apply.
Test Yourself
Question 2
In the steps of theory development,
which step proceeds the testing of the
theoretical relationships? Check all that
apply.

a. concept development
b. theory construction
c. statement development
d. application of theory to practice
Test Yourself Question
3
You are the manager on a unity and a patient meets with you to
discuss satisfaction with his care, specifically the amount of
time to wait to have his call bell answered. What word best
describes satisfaction with care?

a. concept
b. construct
c. Assumption
d. empirical indicator
Test Yourself
Question 4
A nurse has learned that suicide risk theories
indicate that depression and hopelessness are key
factors that may lead to suicide. The nurse
assesses the patient for sadness and thoughts
about the future. What step in theory development
is this nurse engaging?

a. statement development
b. theory construction
c. testing theoretical relationships
d. application of theory to practice
Test Yourself
Question 5

A nurse researcher is identifying a new

concept for development. The researcher
specifically looks to identify cases that are
contrary, or incongruent with the new
concept. This is an appropriate activity in
concept development.
Is this statement true of false?

a. True
b. False
Test Yourself
Question 6
When the nurse researcher has defined the
new concept, the nurse will identify
empirical indicators for that concept. Why
does the researcher do this? Check all that
apply

a. to describe it further

b. to measure it objectively

c. to be able to test a theory with this concept

d. to create a relational statement

Test Yourself
Question 7
A researcher evaluates a new for parsimoniousness.
The researcher determines that the theory is not
parsimonious. What does this mean?

a. the theory is complicated and not clear

b. the theory is easy to use

c. the theory is generalizable

d. the theory is testable

Test Yourself Question 8

A concept is determined to be not well defined. Why is

this a problem? Check all that apply.

a. cannot be objectively measured.

b. is confusing to interpret results from studies that use it

c. a researcher/nurse will not be sure when it occurs

d. it cannot contribute to valid relational statements in a

theory
Test Yourself Question 9

What is Meleis conceptual framework an

example?

a. a philosophy
b. a grand theory
c. a middle range theory
d. a paradigm
Test Yourself
Question 10
Person and family centred care is a
mature concept or construct/ What
contributes to understanding its maturity
as a concept or a construct?

a. comprised of numerous concepts

b. is parsimonious

c. is a metaparadigm

d. is a philosophy
Summary

Theories are classified by level of abstraction meta theory, grand theory, middle range theory, practice theory.

Meleis’ transition theory is an example of a middle range theory based upon meeting its purpose criteria.

Theories are classified according to their purpose: descriptive, explanatory, predictive, prescriptive.

Theory development follows five stages: concept development, statement development, theory construction,
testing theoretical relationships, and application of theory to practice.

Theories are analyzed and evaluated according to six common steps: theory origins, purpose, logical adequacy,
usefulness, generalizability, and testability.

Theory is tested and modified by research. Theory informs practice, which in turn can inform theory.