Page 405 - alligood 8th edition_Neat

386 UNIT IV Nursing Theories

• Humans’ perceptions of and meanings attached to Indeed, studies have indicated that Transitions Theory
health and illness situations are influenced by and could be applied to nursing practice with diverse groups
in turn influence the conditions under which a of people, including geriatric populations, psychiatric
transition occurs. populations, maternal populations, family caregivers,
• Healthy transition is characterized by both process menopausal women, Alzheimer patients, immigrant
and outcome indicators. women, and people with chronic illness, among others
• Negotiating successful transitions depends on the (Aroian & Prater, 1988; Brackley, 1992; Im, 1997; Kaas
development of an effective relationship between & Rousseau, 1983; Schumacher, Dodd, & Paul, 1993;
the nurse and the client (nursing therapeutic). This Shaul, 1997). Transitions Theory could provide direc-
relationship is a highly reciprocal process that tion for nursing practice with people in various types of
affects both the client and the nurse. transitions by providing a comprehensive perspective
on the nature and type of transitions, transition condi-
tions, and process and outcome indicators of patterns of
Logical Form response to transitions. Also, Transitions Theory leads
Transitions Theory was formulated and theorized to development of nursing therapeutics that are congru-
through induction using existing research litera- ent with the unique experience of clients and their
ture and findings. It was initially developed as a families in transition, thus promoting healthy responses
central concept of nursing and later as a middle- to transition.
range theory. Transitions Theory was formulated
with the goal of integrating what is known about Education
transition experiences across different types of Transitions Theory is used widely in graduate educa-
transitions with nursing therapeutics for people in tion and undergraduate education throughout the
transition. The theory provides a framework for world (Meleis, personal communication, December
understanding the results of previous transitions 29, 2007). There is a growing international interest
research more clearly and for proposing concepts in integrating Transitions Theory into nursing cur-
for further study. ricula across countries (Meleis, personal communi-
cation, January 2008). Transitions Theory was used
as a curriculum framework in a number of places,
Acceptance by the Nursing Community including the University of Connecticut and Clayton
Over recent decades, transitions have emerged as a State University in Morrow, Georgia, where Transi-
central concept of nursing phenomenon, and Transi- tions Theory has been used in their education pro-
tions Theory has been widely used throughout the grams for the past 15 years (www.clayton.edu).
world. Transitions Theory was translated and used In response to an increasing learning need of gradu-
extensively in Sweden, Taiwan, South Korea, Portugal, ate students, Meleis taught an independent graduate
Spain, and Singapore. elective course on transitions and health at the
University of California, San Francisco. At University
Practice of Pennsylvania, a center called Transitions and
Transitions Theory provides a comprehensive perspec- Health, directed by Mary Naylor, was established in
tive on transition experience while considering the 2007 with a $5 million dollar endowment for support
contexts within which people are experiencing a transi- and Transitions Theory as its theoretical basis.
tion. Because of its comprehensiveness, applicability,
and affinity with health, Transitions Theory has been Research
applied to many human phenomena of interest and Internationally, a number of researchers have used
concern to nurses, such as illness, recovery, birth, death, Transitions Theory in their studies as a theoretical
and loss, as well as immigration. Transitions Theory basis for research. Meleis’ research program is natu-
is useful in explaining health/illness transitions such rally based on Transitions Theory, and other research-
as the recovery process, hospital discharge, and diagno- ers have tested the empirical precision of Transitions
sis of chronic disease (Meleis & Trangenstein, 1994). Theory through their studies (Davies, 2005; Weiss,