week 8 theory chad, support the argument
Technology plays a big role in nursing today. There are many different technologies that I use each day. Some help with charting, some keep patients safe, and some help communicate. One recent piece of technology that our unit acquired is an iPad that can be used for language translation. It’s a live video with the translator. I can talk to my patient in English, the translator will translate and then the patient communicates back the same way. This allows me to effectively communicate with my patient in a way that there is nothing lost in translation or through a family interpreter. I know exactly what is being said and so does my patient. It allows me to provide the best care that I can. This allows me to show my patient that I am involved in their care, that I want to care for them in a complete way, that I am treating them through virtue of humanness, I can know the wholeness, etc. (Smith & Parker, 2015). This allows me to direct my care and show them that they are the focus of my care and that I am doing everything I can to provide care (Smith & Parker, 2015). It is important that the patient feel like they are a participant in their care and not just the recipient of care, and this specific piece of technology allows me to do that (Locsin, 2016).
For this week’s assignment I chose the middle-range theory of caring by Katharine Kolcaba. This theory is focused on caring. Some of the key concept of Kolcaba’s comfort theory is providing comfort through relief, ease, and transcendence (Smith & Parker, 2015). Comfort is basic, experienced holistically, can be healthy or unhealthy, and enhanced comfort can lead to better productivity (Smith & Parker, 2015). Comfort can come from physical, environmental, sociocultural, and psychospiritual (Smith & Parker, 2015). Through these means I am able to tailor my care to provide holistic care to that specific person.
I do believe that middle-range theories are adaptable to practice. They are a little more focused and not so broad which allows me to focused my efforts better towards that specific theory.
Reference
Locsin, R. C. (2016). Technological competency as caring in nursing: Co-creating moments in
nursing occurring within the universal technological domain. Journal of Theory
Construction & Testing, 10(1), 5–11. Retrieved from http://prx-
keiser.lirn.net/login?url=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%
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Smith M. C., & Parker, M. E. (Eds.). (2015). Nursing theories and nursing practice (4th ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
