Theories Supporting Nursing Informatics

Theories Supporting Nursing Informatics

• A theory is a system of ideas that explains a phenomenon, and can describe, explain, predict, or prescribe selected phenomena within reality.

Classification of Theories

• Theories can be classified as grand, middle-range, and situation-specific or practice theories.
• Grand theories are broad in scope and complex, while practice theories are specific.
• Middle-range theories are intermediate in scope, more specific than grand theories but not as prescriptive as practice theories.

Interrelated Triad

• Theories are part of an interrelated, circular triad: research, theory, and practice.
• Entry into this triad can occur at any point.

Nursing Theories

• Nursing theories focus on nursing practice, applying the nursing process to individuals, groups, or communities.
• Grand nursing theories provide broad, high-level views of nursing practice, while practice theories are more specific.

Dreyfus Model

• The advanced beginner stage develops when a novice acquires real-life experiences and appreciates environmental influences on rule sets.
• After 2-3 years in the same area of nursing, the nurse moves into the Competent Stage of skill acquisition.

Communication Theory

• Communication theory studies the scientific process of sending and receiving information.
• Core concepts include encoding and decoding, channel capacity, and noise.
• Shannon and Weaver's "A Mathematical Theory of Communication" is a key work in this field.

Diffusion of Innovations Theory

• Adoption of a new idea, behavior, or product is a process that occurs over time, influenced by four key elements: the innovation itself, communication channels, time, and a social system.
• Rogers identifies five groups of innovation adopters: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards.
• Each group has distinct characteristics and plays a role in the spread of new ideas.

Five Groups of Innovation Adopters

• Innovators: open to risks, first to try new ideas.
• Early adopters: interested in trying new technologies and establishing their utility in society.
• Early majority: pave the way for mainstream adoption of an innovation.
• Late majority: follow the early majority in adopting an innovation.
• Laggards: risk-averse, last to adopt new ideas, but eventually forced to adopt due to societal pressure.

Five-Stage Model for the Diffusion of Innovation

• Stage 1: knowledge - learning about the innovation.
• Stage 2: persuasion - becoming convinced of the innovation's value.
• Stage 3: decision - committing to adoption.
• Stage 4: implementation - putting the innovation into use.
• Stage 5: confirmation - ultimate acceptance or rejection of the innovation.