Middle-Range Theories: Frameworks for Examining a Nonsurgical Cosmetic Problem

The advent of evidence-based research has called for nursing to focus and create additional pathways that enable exploration of specific practice problems. This change of direction has presented an increased opportunity for analysis and scientific research that are pertinent to nursing. Although grand theory has historically been used to define and guide nursing research, currently many theorists have applied middle-range theories for these purposes. This level of theory provides substantive structures and foundations that may facilitate the ability to observe, test, and interpret phenomena so that a higher level of evidence-based research may be translated into practice. This article addresses and describes a selected clinical practice problem, reviews and assesses 2 middle-range theories, and finally, provides evaluation of the theories that will reaffirm how they support the practice problem.