Nursing theory in nursing education: an educational imperative

Nursing has accepted theory as basic to its practice; however, the use and development of nursing theory is constrained by the approach used in nursing education. It is not appropriate or sufficient to isolate theory in one course. Moreover, confining nursing theory courses to graduate curricula, which is the custom in many schools of nursing, suggests that to focus on theory in the profession is esoteric. These curricular approaches inhibit socialization of students to the value of theory as essential to practice. It is imperative that nursing education engage students in theory-related content at all levels. This article presents a scheme to achieve systematic integration of theory-related content in curricula at all levels of nursing education from associate degree to doctorate. Through theory-based practice, nursing will come to realize its full potential as a discipline.