INTRODUCTION:

Nurses have often participated in research which has contributed much to the basic sciences that are fundamental to the practice of all health professionals. In the past nurses have functioned primarily as collectors of data, in the future nurses who are academically prepared will increasingly initiate and conduct research within the theoretical framework. We can expect that many will focus on the development of the body of nursing theory. (Myrtte Irene Brown 1964)

The Need for nursing theory in research:

A clear mandate has been made for nurse researchers to build a body of scientifically tested nursing theory from which the nurse may draw the facts, concepts and principles acting as the base for nursing education, nursing care and nursing services for patients, families and communities.

In research circle the term theory is used in various ways. Scientists have used theory to refer an abstract generalization that offers a systematic explanation about how phenomena are interrelated. Descriptive theory plays an important role in quantitative studies. Qualitative researches often strive to develop a conceptualization of the phenomena under study that is grounded in actual observations. (Polit and Beck 2008)

The close connection between theory and research was implied in the discussion of the functions stated explicitly the initial impetus for research is the search for theory. Theory development relies on research and research relies on theory. Brown (1977) characterized the relationship between theory and research as dialectic, a transaction whereby theory determines what data are to be collected and research findings provide challenges to accepted theories. (Fawcett, J. and Downs, F.1986)

The choice of a research design depends on the question asked and the current state of theory development. One of the differences between research based knowledge and other types of information is that knowledge adds to a body of what is known that is structured as theory.

Nursing research has been conducted in the setting of vulnerable populations. Several theoretical models for studying vulnerability have been created and interventional studies designed to reduce health disparities have been implemented. (Nyamathi A, Koniak-Griffin D, Greengold BA, 2007)

Purpose of Theory in Research:

· To identify meaningful and relevant areas for study.

· To propose plausible approaches to health problems.

· To develop or refine theories.

· To define the concepts and proposed relationships between concepts.

· To interpret research findings.

· To develop clinical practice protocols.

· To generate nursing diagnosis.

Relationship between Theory and Research:

The relationship between nursing theory and research is integral. One cannot exist without the other. At all stages in the development and implementation of nursing theories research plays a central role. Research including clinical practice and experience must be at the core of all theory because theory eventually must be put into action. (Walter Johnson)

· Research without theory results in discreet information or data which does not add to the accumulated knowledge of the discipline.

· Theory guides the research process, forms the research questions, aids in design, analysis and interpretation.

· It enables the scientist to weave the facts together.

· The relationship is direct and positive.

· The choice of a research design depends on the question asked and the current state of theory development. (Kaiser Permanente, 2009)

Theory Generating Research:

· It is designed to develop and describe relationships between and among phenomena without imposing preconceived notations.

· It is inductive and includes field observations and phenomenology.

· During the theory generating process the researcher moves by logical thought from fact to theory by means of a proposition stated as an empirical generalization.

Theory testing research:

· In theory testing research theoretical statements are translated into questions and hypothesis. It requires a deductive reasoning process.

· The interpretation determines whether the study supports are contradicts the propositional statement.

· If a conceptual model is used as a theoretical framework for research it is not theory testing.

· Theory testing requires detailed examination of theoretical relationships.

Function:

Precisely how the connection works out in practice is the domain of research. Prediction is the more formal area of research since these connections must be proven statistically which involves substantial research. Lastly prescription is the most active part of nursing theory and is the real testing ground of all previous research.

Significance:

The main significance is to bring all the relevant concepts in nursing into an interrelated whole. The actions of real nursing and patient care cannot be isolated from one another. Research is central here because nurses must come to recognize how the main concepts interrelate in both theory and practice. Nursing is a holistic science and not an isolated set of routine task.

Research and the theory – Practice gap:

Nursing requires a paradigm of clinical research which focuses on the individual therapeutic encounter in order to complement the existing paradigm of theoretical research which is best suited to the generation of generalizable knowledge and theory.

In nursing technical rationality and implementation of scientific research findings by practitioners usually depends on large scale generalizable studies. Generalizable and cumulative research would place at the heart of a strategy for advancing research in nursing. (The Department of Health, England – DoH 1993)

In large scale statistically generalizable studies the gate keepers to the nursing profession favour might well be adequate for the construction and testing of theory. Each clinical encounter between nurse and patient is unique and the only way to begin is to explore those encounters and generate knowledge and theory in which the nurse and the patient are the focus of the research process. (Gary Rolfe 1998)

Innovation in nursing theory and research:

An understanding of theory and research in relation to knowledge development and practice depicted in the PhD programme domain may better enable nursing graduate to translate nursing science as well as other discipline with scientific knowledge into practice.

Conceptual model of knowledge and theory generation provides a model for developing curriculum to teach the content and skill needed to develop new knowledge through research and practice while continuing to recognise knowledge and theory from other discipline.

Context in the area of nursing theory, clinical practice expertise, nursing research, critical reflection skills, expert decision making, collaboration and networking skills will prepare nurse graduates to assume their role as “Practitioner- theorist- researcher”. Preparation in these areas will strengthen and broaden nurses own practice expertise and their ability to contribute theories that uniforms the discipline and its practice overall. (Pamela Reed, Nelma Shearer 2011)

Nurses are in need to make continuous efforts to link research and practice to theories in order to identify specific fact in theories to develop diverse types of theories and to conduct international collaborative works. Im EO, Ju Chang S, 2012 paper gives implications for future theoretical development in diverse clinical areas of nursing research and practice.

Guidelines for writing theoretical framework in research study:

· Introduce the theoretical framework.

· Briefly explain why it is a good fit for the research problem area.

· Eke at the end of the literature review.

· Thoroughly describe the theoretical framework and explain its application to the present study.

· Describe how the theoretical framework has been used in studies about similar problems.

· Include it in the study methodology section.

· Explain how the theoretical framework is being operationalized in the study design.

· Explain how data collection methods reflect the concepts in the theoretical framework.

· Include it in the study discussion section

· Describe how study findings are consistent or inconsistent with the theoretical framework.

· Offer suggestions for practice and further research that are congruent with the theoretical framework concepts and propositions.

CONCLUSION:

The relationship between research and theory is undeniable and it is important to recognize the impact of these relationships on the development of nursing knowledge. Nurses should interface theory and research by generating theories, testing the theories and by using it as a conceptual framework that derives the study.

REFERENCES:

1. Polit and Beck (2008) “Nursing research- Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice”, (8^th ed). Philadelphia: Lippincott Publishers, 139-160.

2. George B. Julia, Nursing Theories- The base for professional Nursing Practice, 3rd ed. Norwalk, Appleton and Lange.

3. Burns N, Grove SK. (2007). The practice of Nursing Research. 4th Ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Publications; 165-187

4. Myrtte Irene Brown. Nursing research: Research in the development of nursing theory. Vol 13 (2); 1964: 109-112.

5. Fawcett, J. and Downs, F. The relationship between theory and research. Norwalk, CT: Appleton Century Crofts; 1986: 4-7.

6. Nyamathi A, Koniak-Griffin D, Greengold BA. Development of nursing theory and science in vulnerable population’s research. Annual revision in nursing research: 2007.

7. Gary Rolfe. The theory – practice gap in nursing from research- based practice to practitioner- based research. Journal of advanced nursing. Vol 28 (3); 1998: 672-679.

8. Pamela Reed, Nelma Shearer (2011). Nursing knowledge and theory innovation: 1^st edition.

9. Im EO, Ju Chang S. Current trends in nursing theories. Journal of nursing scholars. 44 (2); 2012: 156-164.

10. Walter Johnson. Nursing theory and research from eHow.com http://www.ehow.com

Received on 01.07.2012 Modified on 08.08.2012

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 2(3): July-Sept. 2012; Page 101-103