Middle Range Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Middle Range Theories - Essay Example If properly analysed and explored within a systematic framework, mid-range nursing theories can actually proper guidance as well as direction in terms of what research goals to be pursued. The serious development of mid-range nursing theory started during 1960’s and 1970s when serious efforts were put in place to actually drift away from the existing models being followed in Nursing. (McEwen & Wills, 2007) Community empowerment requires a continual shift in the power relationships between individuals and groups. It is also considered as an outcome which varies with different distribution of resources within the society. The community psychology suggests a positive link between community empowerment and overall health outcomes. When it comes to self care, community empowerment and motivation can play an important role. This paper will actually discuss the issue of community empowerment and motivation with regards to self-care and discuss is it from the perspective of mid-range theories of nursing and how they can solve this problem. Brief Description of the Problem Literature on community psychology indicates that empowerment can actually increase the overall self-esteem and competence of individuals which improves the perception of control and which invariably results into better health outcomes. Empowerment is generally related with an individual’s actions and subsequent development of small groups, community partnerships and organizations which can further lead to the ultimate political action required to bring in the desired change in the public health. It is however critical to understand that concrete efforts have not been put in place in order to ensure self-care, community empowerment has not been viewed as one of the critical tools to ensure positive health outcomes. The overall domain of community empowerment as well as self-care has been mostly focused upon the environmental changes and how it can affect the overall health outcomes for t he patients. Individuals can have better chance to ensure their self-care and better health outcomes if individuals can participate into the communities and empower themselves. (Lundy & Janes, 2009) From the perspective of nursing, community empowerment is relatively important however, given the overall complexity involved, nurses need to take greater care in understanding the overall dynamics and how they can develop an effective link between community empowerment and self-care. It is critical for nurses therefore to understand the individual circumstances of their patients and attempt to deliver an overall experience which can improve the overall health outcome for the students. Nurses therefore face difficult and complex challenges in this regard. (Janice E. Hitchcock, Schubert, & Thomas, 2003) Comfort Theory Word comfort is considered as complex and diverse in nature and has remained one of the intriguing aspects of nursing. Comfort has been defined as â€Å"the immediate state of being strengthened through having the human needs for relief, ease, and transcendence addressed in four contexts of experience†. The comfort therefore is considered as the desirable and positive outcome which is required to bring patients and their families to engage into the positive health outcomes. Comfort theory was developed in 1990s by Katharine Kolcaba and is considered as middle range theory for nursing practice, education and research. This theory is