Chapter 1: Nursing Theory and the Discipline of Nursing
Multiple-Choice Questions

1. The purpose of theory is to:
A. Explain experience.
B. Describe relationships.
C. Project outcomes.
D. All of the above.
ANS: D

2. Members of a community of scholars share a commitment to all of the following except:
A. Values.
B. Knowledge.
C. Geographic location.
D. Processes.
ANS: C

3. ____________________ and ____________________ structures are essential to any discipline and are inherent in nursing theories.
A. Paradigm and metaparadigm.
B. Syntactical and conceptual.
C. Middle and grand.
D. Language and symbol.
ANS: B

4. Books and periodicals are examples of:
A. Communication networks.
B. Heritage of literature.
C. Nursing organizations.
D. Nursing discipline.
ANS: B

5. The basic building blocks of theories are:
A. Concepts and their definitions.
B. Statements of relationships.
C. Concepts and statements of relationships.
D. Empirical indicators.
ANS: C

6. Nursing theories:
A. Are discovered in nature.
B. Serve as exact representations of reality.
C. Are invented by humans.
D. Cannot be modified.
ANS: C

7. A paradigm is defined as a:
A. Worldview.
B. General framework.
C. Set of shared perspectives held by members of a discipline.
D. All of the above.
ANS: D

8. The dependence of nursing theory development on human imagination is an attribute of nursing as a(n):
A. Occupation.
B. Discipline.
C. Vocation.
D. Profession.
ANS: B

9. The primary purpose of nursing theory is to:
A. Structure nursing knowledge.
B. Demonstrate creativity in nursing.
C. Guide the thinking about, being, and doing of nursing.
D. Organize nursing curricula.
ANS: C

10. The first nursing theorist who identified the importance of theory in nursing was:
A. Virginia Henderson.
B. Hildegard Peplau.
C. Lydia Hall.
D. Florence Nightingale.
ANS: D

11. The most abstract level of knowledge is the:
A. Paradigm.
B. Metaparadigm.
C. Theory.
D. Concept.
ANS: B

12. Statements of enduring values or beliefs are considered:
A. Conceptual models.
B. Philosophies.
C. Grand theories.
D. Practice theories.
ANS: B

13. Theories that include specific concepts, are broad enough to be useful in complex situations, and can be empirically tested are called:
A. Grand theories.
B. Middle-range theories.
C. Practice-level theories.
D. Nursing theories.
ANS: B

14. Theories that have the most limited scope and level of abstraction that are useful in within a specific range of nursing situations are called:
A. Grand theories.
B. Middle-range theories.
C. Practice-level theories.
D. Nursing theories.
ANS: C

15. The name for the boundaries or focus of a discipline is:
A. Imagination.
B. Domain.
C. Tradition.
D. Value.
ANS: B

True/False Questions 

16. Every discipline has a unique focus that directs inquiry and distinguishes it from other fields of study.
ANS: T

17. Theories are not discovered in nature but are human inventions.
ANS: T

18. Science generally evolves as a smooth, regular, continuing path of knowledge development over time.
ANS: F

19. Early nursing theorists relied on definitions of theory from nursing practice to guide the development of theories within nursing.
ANS: F

20. The best test of any nursing theory is its usefulness in professional practice.
ANS: T