Is Hodges' Model anathema to 'Extant Nursing Theories' ?

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	Nursing Science Quarterly

"Are the extant nursing theories endangered species? Some nurse leaders think so. A cursory review of major nursing journals reveals the conspicuous absence of articles using nursing theories as guides to research and practice. These articles are often written by seasoned scholars and doctoral students in nursing, yet nursing science is absent. How can this be when PhD students are being prepared to be knowledge builders for the discipline and their teachers are the seasoned scholars?

This question took center stage in a recent international gathering of nurse researchers and theoreticians."

Parse RR. Are the Extant Nursing Theories Endangered Species? Nursing Science Quarterly. 2023;36(2):109-109. doi:10.1177/08943184221150254

 

 

Hodges' Model is a stranger in a strange land; and as usual I am writing from Wigan Pier - so vastly differing contexts and experiences acknowledged.

 

Whatever its status as a model of nursing, model of care, conceptual framework, nursing theory (level 'x'); as the editorial indicates, if the model were to have a 'home' it might be the USA with its nursing science PhD programmes. 

 

Clearly, this is not the case.

 

Unsuccessful in trying to learn of the international event mentioned, I can take encouragement from Hodges' model being 'stateless' and as such, being global, local and glocal in scope. There is succour in having an origin the model can call home here in the NW England (literal - person-centredness).

The medicalisation of nursing science may be an issue for PhD programmes in the USA, but the inter- multi- transdisciplinary potential of Hodges' model can encompass this - preserving and even assuring disciplinary identity as needed. An original purpose of the model was also curriculum design, and development.

"In all university systems it is the faculty and administrators of nursing programs who make curriculum decisions. These same faculty and administrators promulgate the use of theories from other disciplines to guide nursing research for PhD dissertations. What is wrong with this picture?"

I would suggest it is not 'big' - rich enough.

"What is the uniqueness of nursing as a discipline when medical science content has replaced the nursing theories and frameworks in PhD programs? The extant theories and frameworks concretized nursing as a unique discipline different from medicine in the 20^th century. Can nursing now be distinguished from medicine when the content of PhD programs is bereft of extant nursing theories and frameworks?"

Yes, nursing can and is being distinguished from medicine and all other disciplines: abstraction and scope of practice are key. 

So many 'literature searches' are incomplete (but I would say that).

It is actually a sad state of affairs should PhD programmes of study be the primary motivation for the development of nursing science. This is the 21st Century.

Nursing should be defined by the needs of national and global populations and associated national and global policy - especially ongoing gaps in those needs.