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CHAPTER 37 State of the Art and Science of Nursing Theory 713

2011; Marriner, 1986; Marriner Tomey, 1989; Marriner theory continue to grow globally as formally organized
Tomey, 1994; Marriner Tomey & Alligood, 1998; 2002; societies that share knowledge and address questions
2006). from their research and practice on websites and in
As indicated in Chapter 1, this eighth edition con- newsletters and journals. Nursing models and theories
tinues to clarify the relevance of nursing theoretical address the central concepts of the discipline: person,
works, facilitate their recognition as systematic dem- environment, health, and nursing, (Fawcett, 1984b).
onstrations of nursing substance, and inspire their use Nurses generate theory-based scholarship for re-
as frameworks for nursing scholarship in practice, search and practice. Work by the communities of schol-
research, education, and administration. Simply put, ars in the nursing models has led to the development of
the framing of an issue guides to the desired outcome. research instruments or clinical measurement tools
There are many different ways to survey the art and unique to that paradigm (Fawcett, 2005, 2009).
science of nursing theory. This chapter explores the Kuhn (1970) stated, “Paradigms gain their status by
growth of nursing theory from three perspectives. being more successful than their competitors in solving
First, as noted in Chapter 2, the philosophy of sci- a few problems that the group of practitioners have
ence continues to open new ways of developing and come to recognize as acute” (p. 23). Kuhn (1970) defines
using theoretical works (Butts & Rich, 2011; Carper, normal science as “research firmly based upon one or
1978; Chinn & Kramer, 2011; Fawcett & Garity, 2009; more past scientific achievements, achievements that
Kuhn, 1962, 1970). The significance of normal science some particular scientific community acknowledges for
(Chapter 3) to the discipline is considered (Kuhn, a time as supplying the foundation for its further prac-
1962, 1970). Second, nursing theory is viewed in the tice” (p. 10). The characteristics of paradigms that evi-
context of new growth that encourages framing dence their nature and lead to normal science include
knowledge in present day understanding. The phe- the following:
nomenal expansion of middle-range theory develop- • A community of scholars who base their research
ment and use in all areas of nursing is discussed and practice on the paradigm
(Butts & Rich, 2011). Third and finally, the global • The formation of specialized journals
development and use of nursing theoretical works by • The foundation of specialists’ societies
nurse scholars around the world highlights growth • The claim for a special place in curricula (Kuhn,
and reminds the reader of the vital nature of theory 1970)
for the profession, discipline, and science (Johnson & Rodgers (2005) describes normal science as . . . “the
Webber, 2004). highly cumulative process of puzzle solving in which the
paradigm guides scientific activity and the paradigm is,
in turn, articulated and expanded” (p. 100). Rodgers
Nature of Normal Science (2005) cites Kuhn’s premise that research in normal sci-
Many nursing models and theories included in this text ence “is directed to the articulation of those phenomena
exhibit characteristics of Kuhn’s (1970) criteria for nor- and theories that the paradigm supplies” (p.100).
mal science (Wood, 2010). Increasingly over the past The conceptual models of nursing in this text exhibit
30 years, the conceptual models of nursing and nursing these characteristics. Each model is unique with ranges
theories as presented by Alligood (2010a, 2014), of development in these characteristics. Rogers’ Science
Alligood and Marriner Tomey (1997, 2002, 2006), of Unitary Human Beings (Chapter 13) is an excellent
Alligood & Marriner Tomey (2010), Fawcett (1984a, example having generated hundreds of research studies,
1989, 1993, 1995, 2005), Fitzpatrick and Whall (1984, 13 research instruments, and 12 nursing process clinical
1989, 1996), George (1985, 1986, 1989, 1995, 2002, tools for practice (Fawcett, 2005; Fawcett & Alligood,
2011), Marriner Tomey (1986, 1989, 1994), Marriner 2001). The Society of Rogerian Scholars, founded in
Tomey and Alligood (1998, 2002, 2006), McEwen and 1988, publishes a refereed journal, Visions: The Journal
Wills (2002, 2006), Meleis (1985, 1991, 1997, 2005, of Rogerian Nursing Science, with issues available on the
2007, 2012), and Parker (2001, 2006) have led to theory- Society of Rogerian Scholars website to foster develop-
based education, administration, research, and practice. ment of the science among the community of scholars.
Communities of scholars associated with a model or Rogerian science is the basis of award winning texts