Uses of Nursing Theories

1. Descriptive theory identifies properties and components of a discipline. They identify meaning and observations and describe what elements exist in that discipline.
2. Explanatory theory identifies how the properties and components relate to each other and accounts for how the discipline functions.
3. Predictive theories predict the relationships between the components of a phenomenon and predict under what conditions it will occur.
4. Prescriptive theories address nursing therapeutics and consequences of interventions.