As a BSN prepared nurse, it is an expectation that you incorporate theory into your daily practice

Scenario

As a BSN prepared nurse, it is an expectation that you incorporate theory into your daily practice. As a new graduate, you are interviewing for a position as a registered nurse in a large academic medical center. When scheduling the interview, the Human Resource department provided some possible interview topics and suggested that you be prepared to discuss these topics. One topic included, “Discuss one nursing theorist that will guide your clinical practice.”

Instructions

As a means of organizing the information, you decide to prepare an Infographic that includes the following information:

• Select one nursing theorist and summarize the theory.
• Identify the concepts and relational statements of the selected nursing theory.
• Discuss the contributions of that theory to nursing practice.
• Submit a share URL that links to the Infographic.

Guide to Answering Your Nursing Theory Assignment

Understanding the Assignment

This assignment asks you to demonstrate how you’ll integrate nursing theory into practice as a BSN-prepared nurse. You’ll create an infographic that showcases your understanding of a nursing theorist and their relevance to clinical practice.

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Step-by-Step Approach

Step 1: Select Your Nursing Theorist

Choose a theorist whose work resonates with your nursing philosophy and clinical interests. Consider:

Popular choices include:

• Jean Watson (Theory of Human Caring)
• Patricia Benner (Novice to Expert)
• Dorothea Orem (Self-Care Deficit Theory)
• Hildegard Peplau (Interpersonal Relations Theory)
• Madeleine Leininger (Transcultural Nursing)
• Sister Callista Roy (Adaptation Model)

Selection tips: Pick a theory that aligns with the type of nursing position you’re seeking. For example, if interviewing for a critical care position, Benner’s work might be particularly relevant. For community health, Orem’s self-care theory could be ideal.

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Step 2: Summarize the Theory

Your summary should be concise yet comprehensive and include:

What to cover:

• The theorist’s background and what inspired the theory
• The core purpose or focus of the theory (2-3 sentences)
• When the theory was developed
• The theory’s main premise or central idea

Example structure: “Patricia Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory (1984) describes how nurses develop clinical skills and understanding through experience. The theory identifies five levels of proficiency: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. Benner emphasized that expertise develops over time through experiential learning and reflection on practice.”

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Step 3: Identify Concepts and Relational Statements

This is the theoretical foundation of your infographic.

Concepts are the building blocks of the theory—the key ideas or phenomena the theory addresses.

Relational statements explain how these concepts connect or influence each other.

Example using Watson’s Theory:

Major Concepts:

• Caring
• Transpersonal caring relationship
• Caring occasion/caring moment
• Carative factors (now called Caritas Processes)
• Phenomenal field

Relational Statements:

• “Caring promotes healing and wholeness” (relationship between caring and patient outcomes)
• “The transpersonal caring relationship transcends time, space, and physicality” (relationship between nurse-patient connection and therapeutic presence)
• “Caring consciousness creates healing environments” (relationship between nurse’s intentionality and care environment)

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Step 4: Discuss Contributions to Nursing Practice

This section demonstrates practical application—crucial for your interview scenario.

Address these areas:

Clinical Practice Applications: How does this theory guide day-to-day nursing actions? Provide specific examples of how you would apply the theory at the bedside.

Patient Care Improvements: What patient outcomes does this theory help achieve? Consider quality, safety, and patient satisfaction.

Professional Development: How does this theory support your growth as a nurse?

Evidence-Based Practice: Mention any research that supports the theory’s effectiveness.

Example: “Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory directly guides my practice by helping me assess patients’ self-care abilities and identify where nursing intervention is needed. In discharge planning, I use this framework to ensure patients can manage their care independently or have appropriate support systems. This theory has been shown to reduce hospital readmissions when properly implemented.”

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Step 5: Create Your Infographic

Recommended platforms:

• Canva (user-friendly, free templates)
• Piktochart (nursing-specific templates)
• Adobe Express (professional design options)
• Venngage (healthcare infographic templates)

Design principles for your infographic:

Visual Organization:

• Use a logical flow (top to bottom or left to right)
• Create distinct sections for each requirement
• Use headings that match assignment requirements

Content Balance:

• Keep text concise with bullet points
• Use icons and images to illustrate concepts
• Include the theorist’s photo if available
• Use visual metaphors to represent abstract concepts

Professional Appearance:

• Choose a clean, professional color scheme (avoid overly bright colors)
• Ensure high contrast for readability
• Use consistent fonts (2-3 maximum)
• Leave adequate white space

Key sections to include:

1. Title with theorist’s name and theory
2. Brief biography/photo of theorist
3. Theory summary
4. Concepts diagram or visual representation
5. Relational statements with connecting arrows
6. Practice applications with examples
7. Your name and credentials

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Step 6: Generate and Submit Share URL

After creating your infographic:

1. Review for accuracy: Check spelling, theoretical concepts, and citations
2. Get feedback: Have a peer or instructor review if possible
3. Create shareable link: Most platforms have a “Share” or “Publish” button that generates a URL
4. Test the link: Open it in a private/incognito browser to ensure accessibility
5. Check permissions: Ensure the link is set to “anyone with the link can view”
6. Submit: Include the URL in your assignment submission

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Interview Preparation Tip

Since this is for an interview scenario, practice verbally explaining your infographic. Be prepared to:

• Discuss why you chose this particular theorist
• Provide specific examples of how you’ll apply the theory in the role you’re interviewing for
• Connect the theory to the organization’s mission or values
• Demonstrate critical thinking about theory’s strengths and limitations

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Additional Resources

• Access your nursing theory textbook for detailed theorist information
• Review scholarly articles about your chosen theory’s application
• Check the organization’s website for their nursing philosophy to align your discussion
• Consider how the theory addresses current healthcare priorities (patient safety, health equity, quality outcomes)