UNCC Nursing Concepts Caring for an Aging Population Discussion

Select a concept of relevance to nursing. The concept should be one that pertains to health environment, caring, family, parenting, community, behavior, growth and development, aging, illness, ethics, or other phenomena. Review the literature on the concept by searching ALADDIN, CINAHL, PSYCH-LIT, SOCIOFILE, MEDLINE, and/or any other pertinent databases. You are expected to locate virtually all significant theoretical and research literature of the past 3-5 years and all older classic works that form the essential background for the more recent literature. Be sure to address each element listed below in 5-6 pages. It may help you to organize your paper if you use headings that correspond with the numbered components in this list. Suggestion: Select a concept that is part of/related to your clinical/practice issue to which your theory of choice will be applied.

Elements of the paper:

1. Describe in ordinary language the basic phenomenon you are conceptualizing as it occurs in life. (That is, describe what you are interested in, as it came to your attention.). State how it relates to the domain of nursing and why it is important to study. (3 pts)
2. Discuss the theoretical literature and the research literature on the concept from other disciplines. (3 pts)
3. Discuss the theoretical literature and the research literature on the concept from nursing. (3 pts)
4. Determine the defining or critical attributes of the concept (attributes that definitely rule in the phenomenon, or the absence of which rule out). Be very specific and precise; one should be able to recognize and distinguish the phenomenon from others, by reading your definition alone! Write your definition like a dictionary definition, or in “bulleted” fashion, based on the key information pulled from the literature search. (4 pts)
5. Describe the model case. Describe a borderline/related case. Describe a contrary case. For this paper, the contrary case should not merely the opposite or apparent absence of the concept, but a case that might at first be thought to be the concept, but in fact is clearly not. (4 pts)
6. Define empirical referents. Describe how the concept is recognized and/or operationalized in professional practice and research –that is, how do you know it when you see it? How is it measured? How do you know this is what is going on with a client in a given situation? Hint: how do you measure/observe/confirm the “critical attributes?” What instruments exist to assist in operationalizing the empirical referents. (3 pts)