Conceptualising nursing theory and practice within a local cultural and professional context: a methodological example to inform theory development.

BACKGROUND

Nursing theories are crucial toward orienting the development of knowledge and practice. However, there is a persistent debate in the literature regarding the gap between theory and practice. Theories and conceptual models developed in Anglo-Saxon countries are often proposed within diverse educational and clinical contexts in other countries, generating challenges in their application in practice.

AIM

This study aimed to develop and propose a methodology to promote the advancement of nursing theorising, considering local cultural and professional contexts.

METHODS

This analysis was conducted within Italy, which served as a local cultural and professional context exemplar for this investigation. A Scoping Review was used to map local nursing knowledge related to nursing practice. Fawcett's metaparadigm was used as a general orienting frame for the literature analysis.

RESULTS

In light of the analysis conducted, the four disciplinary concepts related to the local (Italian) cultural and professional context were described (person, environment, health, nursing).

CONCLUSION

This investigation aimed to present an example of how an inductive reflective approach can be used as a way to map nursing practice and define disciplinary concepts that can guide conceptual/theory development. The knowledge that was generated can orient initiatives to promote local nursing theory development.