Selection of a Grand Nursing Theorist

Grand Theory Group Mini-Presentation

The focus of this podcast is to review our NU601 mini–presentation of a Grand Nursing theorist guidelines. I will go over all steps in the process including review of the guidelines for the presentation.

1. Selection of a Grand Nursing theorist. For clarity, I think it is important to repeat the process of student selection of a Grand Nursing theorist. This Grand Nursing theorist presentation is a group presentation. Each group will have 3–4 members. Each member of the student group will get the same grade. You will select a theorist based on the listing on our Moodle site. I posted the sign up information for the Grand Nursing theorist list in the form of a discussion forum so everyone can see the selections and who has signed up for which theorists. If there are 4 members signed up to present a specific theorist, students need to select another Nursing theorist.
2. Students will work together in their group and plan a presentation via Skype, FaceTime and/or email to complete their presentation. Developing a work plan is important to facilitate success with your presentation. Make sure you leave enough time to meet, taking into account the possibility of small delays for everyday life events. After students have decided on a work plan, select a person from your group to post this work plan on our student Grand Nursing theorist work plan discussion forum on our Moodle site, specifying tasks and students who will assume responsibility for those tasks. Each student group will develop PowerPoint (PPT) slides for their mini–Grand Nursing theorist presentation. Review the Nightingale presentation slides (found in the Week 1 Learning Materials) to aid you in development of your presentation.
3. Guidelines for the mini-presentation of a Grand Nursing theorist.
4. Brief biography of the theorist. This section is worth 10 points. Provide your audience with a full historical depiction of the theorist. Work on making it dynamic, making her come alive. Include vital information, date and place of birth; pictures that depict the theorist’s life can enhance the presentation. One can include pictures of the theorist as a child, adult, family members, work colleagues etc. Students can use YouTube vignettes, music etc. However, these media should be no more than 5 minutes of the presentation. The theorist’s education and work experience is important. If a theorist has died, include this information and, if possible, and obituary. Here one relies on Internet sources, textbooks and sometimes articles.

Philosophical underpinnings of the theory. This section is worth 10 points.

1. What was the worldview that influenced the theory. Here students consider world events at the time of the theorist, such as social perspective, role of women, men, health, disease, healthcare, nursing and medicine.
2. What fundamental philosophies and disciplines are reflected in the theorist’s work? Students address philosophies or theories that served as a foundation of the theorist’s work, such as Talcott Parsons view of social systems, von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory; it is also important to describe disciplines that aided the theorist’s work, such as psychology, biology, and anthropology.
3. Here a key part of your presentation is the “how” part. You need to link how these philosophical underpinnings influenced the theorist’s development of theory.

Analysis of the theory. This section is a large part of the presentation. Students describe and evaluate the theory. This section is worth 60 points.

1. Describe the theory. Here students provide a clear description of the theory. This should be a synthesis that includes an overview of the theory.
2. Describe how the concepts relate to the meta–paradigm: nursing, health, patient and environment. Students fully explain how the theorist depicts these meta-paradigm concepts. Include definitions of these concepts.
3. Thoroughly describe the concepts including definitions and how the concepts are interrelated. In addition to the meta-paradigm concepts, theories include other key concepts and/or subtheories. For example, Orem’s self-care deficit theory contains three theories. In addition to the meta-paradigm concepts, her theory is composed of other concepts such as self-care and self-care requisites. All concepts of a theory must be defined. In addition, students need to demonstrate how the concepts are related. These are important parts of the framework of the theory.
4. Describe the model. Include a list of the concepts and/or a diagram (schematic) of the model. This criterion specifically addresses the former one, criterion C. Students need to show how the theory’s concepts connect as a whole. Including a diagram that highlights these concepts is highly recommended. See our McEwen and Wills’ book for a detailed diagram depicting the Neuman systems model.
5. Usefulness. Students explain how we can use the theory in nursing, clinical practice, education or administration. Students can use information from the literature to answer this section. However, they need to provide clear examples of how the theory was or can be applied to practice, education or administration. For example, were clinical practice guidelines developed using the theory? In addition to information from the literature, students are required to develop a brief patient case applying the theory. For example, regarding nursing education, are there colleges that have based their curriculum on the theory?
6. Testability. Describe how the theory has been used in one nursing study. Students describe the key elements of the study, purpose, sample, method and key findings. In this description, you address how the theory was applied to the research. The description has to include identifying information about the article, authors, title, journal, volume, issue (if applicable) and page number cited according to current APA format.
7. Parsimony. Discuss the level of complexity of the theory. Here, the student addresses the simplicity of the theory in its presentation and the level of complexity in its scope. For example, “according to McEwen and Wills, 2014, Henderson’s theory is simple in the presentation of its 14 activities for client assurance,” page 138, but it’s very broad scope of the role of nursing makes it complex.
8. Value in extending nursing science. Discuss one midrange theory based on the theory. Here, students briefly describe the midrange theory, its main concepts and how it relates to the grand theory. Full citation of the midrange theory is included. For example, “the middle range theory of self transcendence was developed based on Rogers’ theory of unitary human beings.” Reid, 1991; reference Reid, pg. 1991, Toward a Nursing Theory of Self Transcendence, Deductive Formulation Using Developmental Theories: Advances in Nursing Science 13.4, 67–77.

Presentation. This section is worth 20 points. This section focuses on the delivery of your group presentation.

1. Use of multimedia and other relevant teaching strategies; use of videos such as YouTube, Ted talks, music, graphics and case studies enhance the presentation and applied to the content presented. Again, these are additive effects and should not dominate your presentation. PPTs should be clearly displayed and not include too much information. Text should be easy to read. You should document all resources used on each PPT Slide and in the reference list. Resources are documented according to current APA format clarity and flow of presentation.
2. Information should be clearly presented in an organized manner. The vocal tone, rate and flow of information should be at a level where the audience can hear and understand complex ideas.
3. Creativity. This can be seen in your use of multimedia methods and your inclusion of a patient case to foster audience active viewing and participation. See criterion 4(A).
4. Encouragement and response to class questions and/or involvement. This adds to the dynamic nature of your presentation. As previously stated, using a short case study with questions for the audience is a way to increase audience involvement.
5. Evidence of a coordinated effort in the presentation. This starts in the planning stages of your presentation. Student group presenters develop an organization to their presentation which includes who presents what content and how transitions from presenters in the group are managed.

Helpful Hints

1. The planning steps are essential for a successful group presentation.
2. Being responsible for one’s part in the presentation development and delivery is crucial.
3. Use multiple contributory resources for your presentation, required and suggested text, and articles. Use websites judiciously; .org sites are appropriate. If you have any questions about a site, send an inquiry email to your course instructor.
4. You cannot use basic level nursing resources; example, RN 2016, American Nurse, American Journal of Nursing, undergraduate nursing textbooks, pamphlets and hospital materials.
5. Do not use broad assumptions without data.
6. Do not use colloquial statements (slang).
7. Information has to be referenced within the text of your PPTs and in a reference list. The reference list is the last pages of your PPT slides.
8. Do not let your PPTs with text and picture. Remember the saying “TMI” (too much information.)
9. If you are anxious doing a presentation, even one line, remember your presentation can help everyone learn more about Grand Nursing theorists.
10. Lastly, and most important, if you have any questions please contact me. Thanks!