Modèles conceptuels

Authors

  • Evelyn Adam

Abstract

While theoretical pluralism is certainly an advantage for a nursing programme, it is questioned whether it is also desirable to have a curriculum based on more than 1 conceptual model for nursing. As the precursor of a theory, a conceptual model for nursing is a global perspective for the discipline; as such, it indicates nursing's particular focus and the phenomena that are of concern to nursing. As an explicit frame of reference, a model specifies that for which nurses must be accountable. Nursing practice, education, and research always have some conceptual point of departure. When that departure point is specific to nursing and when it is composed of assumptions, values, and the 6 major units, it is a conceptual model. The criteria for evaluating a conceptual model are social utility, social congruence, and social significance. A curriculum based on one conceptual model for nursing should help students develop the distinct professional identity they need in order to assert themselves as members of the interdisciplinary health team. A program that has several conceptual bases may, on the contrary, be anti-pedagogical.

Published

1999-04-13

Issue

Section

Articles