Kristen Swanson’s Middle Range Theory of Caring, Essay Example

Literature Review

Introduction

Caring forms a core area in nursing practice, and it involves giving care and support to individuals experiencing health deviations until they are able to take care of themselves independently. Many theories of caring have been developed and Kristen Swanson’s theory for informed caring in nursing healthcare forms an exemplary theory in nursing healthcare.

Summary of the Article

In this article, Swanson describes nursing as an informed well-being that is directed for the well-being of others, (Swanson, 1993). Swanson further asserts that nursing caring is informed by knowledge from sciences as well as the aesthetical, ethical and personal knowledge in addition to one’s experience and taking into account and expectations of the society.

In her article, Swanson acknowledges the need for full understanding of a person in terms of spiritual and generic heritage since these together with life experiences defines who that person is. She also emphasizes on the need to understand the environment that surrounds an individual in nursing care. Swanson asserts that the main prerogative of nurses is not just diagnosis and treatment of diseases but enabling patients to achieve a condition of well being.

Finally, Swanson proposes a structure of caring that includes five caring processes and its sub-dimensions. The five processes are maintaining belief, knowing, being with, doing for and enabling. The processes define the relationships in nursing caring which she asserts that it best describes nursing as a “a nurturing way of relating to a valued other toward whom one feels a personal sense of commitment and responsibility”,(Swanson, 1993).

Conclusion

In conclusion, Swanson’s theory on caring provides an exemplary model in caring theory. The theory draws its principles from other disciplines in the aspect of caring and expertly synthesizes it into nursing caring giving a comprehensive and inclusive approach to caring in nursing.

Critique of Kristen Swanson’s Middle Range Theory of Caring

In Nursing Practice

Swanson’s theory is simple and can be applied to any nursing practices, (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). Swanson’s theory enables an easy way in which the caregiver and the patient can understand and it is for this fact that is widely used in the nursing field to provide clear road maps for nursing care process. When it is applied to any unique context, the theory has the ability to become less or more complex, and this offers an interesting scenario regarding its complexity. This offers the theory the ability to be applied at macro level – global perspective or at a local level to treat high-risk patients for example those with dementia.

Finally, the theory has displayed its wide accessibility since it can be applied across various setting of nursing practice. The theory provides clear guidelines and conceptual theory that can be translated easily to both measurable and observable client outcomes and behaviors and this makes it a theory of choice for implementation of nursing practices of high quality.

Nursing Research

Swanson’s theory has a wide use and applications in research and practice. This has seen the theory featured in a number of international research in Europe, Asia, Canada, New Zealand and Israel, (Andershed & Olsson, 2009), a fact that has demonstrated its versatility and credibility.  Many institutions have designed and implemented their institutional care models, which reflects the perceptions of the nurses and what nursing means to them. Good examples of the applicability of Swanson’s theory in research and implementation are the Virginia Mason Medical Center and Exeter Hospital. The theory provides a good example of a link between research and practice.

In Nursing Education

Swanson’s theory provides numerous applications in the nursing field and it is useful and forward-looking, providing the necessary theoretical concepts in nursing education. The theory if applied in nursing education provides an opportunity in creating a desired future in caring. This theory has been implemented in a number of institutions in their teaching of nursing caring and a perfect example is Virginia Mason Medical Center. In addition, the theory has featured by many scholars in many research journals, nursing science and scholarships and this shows that the theory can be used in nursing education field.

In conclusion, Swanson’s theory is one of the versatile and widely acceptable theories in nursing care for twentieth century. The theory can be extended to investigate new developments in the nursing practice as well as acting as a tool of informing the nursing field.

References

Andershed, B., & Olsson, K. (2009). Review of research related to Kristen Swanson’s middle-range theory of caring. Scandinavian Journal Of Caring Sciences, 23(3), 598-610.

Jansson, C., & Adolfsson, A. (2011). Application of “Swanson’s Middle Range Caring Theory” in Sweden after Miscarriage. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2, 102.

Swanson, K. (1993). Nursing as Informed Caring for the Well-Being of Others. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 25(4), 352–357.