International Journal of Nursing Studies 42 (2005) 117

ARTICLE IN PRESS

doi:10.1016/j.ijn

Book review

Nursing theorists and their work (5th Edition)

A. Marriner Tomey and M. Raile Allgood; Mosby,

London, 2002, 672pp., ISBN 0-323-01193-4

The fifth edition of this book is introduced as the most

comprehensive text available addressing nursing theory.

The use of nursing theories in practice has grown in

recent times (Patton, 2004). However, there exists an

aura of uncertainty within some areas of nursing in

relation to the employment of nursing models/theories

to guide practice (Gournay, 1995). This book comprises

five units, which subsequently make up 34 chapters.

Unit one examines the evolution of nursing theories. It is

purported that the search for nursing theory has

developed out of a need to understand and develop

the substance of nursing. The relevance of nursing

theory, an evolution of scientific thought and an

exploration of the phenomena of logical reasoning are

written about in a informative way. These introductory

chapters set the scene for a book which progresses to

become even more informative and thought provoking.

Nursing philosophies are explored in unit two. The unit

begins with a chapter on Florence Nightingale and how

she defined nursing, through to Benner’s ‘Novice to

Expert’ philosophical standpoint. Philosophies ad-

dressed in the unit are broken up into component parts

and examined. The nursing and theoretical credentials of

the theorists in question are also described and

examined. Examination of the component parts of

theories is a style that continues in units three and four,

which examine grand and middle range theories. Eight

grand and thirteen middle range theories are subjected

to a description of their content and meaning, and an

indepth exploration of their relevance to nursing. At the

end of each chapter there exists critical thinking

activities which force the reader into thinking about

how they perceive the model to be useful to their area of

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practice and indeed nurse practice in general. This is a

scheme that originated in unit two. A further attraction

of this book is that each chapter is rigorously referenced.

A plethora of relevant unpublished and published works

are cited at the end of chapters within units two, three

and four. Finally, unit five concerns itself with the future

of nursing theory. This unit, informs us of the benefits

that searching for nursing theory(ies) has brought to

nursing. A closer examination then occurs into how

scientific thought may further develop and enhance

nursing theory. Mention is also made of how qualitative

research paradigm usage has grown out of a greater

recognition of nursing philosophies. In conclusion, this

text is a must for any practitioner wishing to develop or

enhance the use of a particular nursing theory within

their practice area. Nurse educationalists will also find it

of use in framing what is important for nursing students

both in terms of what these theories are and what they

tell the nursing fraternity about what is important in

caring for people. Those interested in framing research

around a nursing philosophy may find their philosophi-

cal niche in this book.

References

Gournay, K., 1995. What to do with nursing models. Journal of

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2, 325–327.

Patton, D., 2004. An analysis of Roys adaptation model of

nursing as used within acute psychiatric nursing. Journal of

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 11, 221–228.

Declan Patton

School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College

Dublin, Ballsbridge Campus, Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland

E-mail address: declan.patton@ucd.ie