The thinker-doer dual nursing role

Nursing, for a time, was a profession polarized into "thinker" and "doer" groups. This polarization was bridged by nurse practitioners who were expected to be both knowledgeable and capable; the degree of their accountability demanded both. More recently, the nursing world has come to accept the duality of the thinker-doer nursing role. It is no longer unthinkable for a clinically oriented journal to discuss practice-relevant theories. Theories can be viewed as generalizations which guide decision making. They don't have to be grand theories which encompass every human condition to be valuable. In this series, advantages and disadvantages of a number of practice-relevant theories will be explored. Early on, "borrowed" theories will be considered. Later, some newer, more original theories will be discussed.