Theories can not only be adapted to research, in fact, there are important theories for scientific research, these theories propose a concept that is issued from the starting point of real data that had been explained theoretically. The theory of knowledge is used in scientific research. Scientific research has an experimental component on which the researcher investigates, while also observing, to reach conclusions that allow him to answer the questions raised in a certain hypothesis. In this way, the theory proposed in an investigation fulfilled or failed its objective.
In medical research, input and output theories play an important role in explanatory type research, which are those that, apart from proposing the causal relationship of the problem, also seek to find its etiology. For example, explanatory research can apply some theory that, in a certain region, when there are floods, there are outbreaks of diarrhea; The initial theory that posed that the dragging of the waters disseminates bacteria that through the drinking water reaches the patient’s mouth was fulfilled, but it does not stop there, the explanatory research wants, through the output theory, to know which is the bacteria and why it causes that problem. The same occurs with descriptive investigations.
Maslow’s theory is a clear example of the practical application of a theory in nursing. The five basic needs raised by Maslow are fundamental in many settings related to patient health, which also serve as a guide for medical and nursing institutions to direct the work, through guidelines that lead to a correct care plan considering the health characteristics presented by the patient.
Public health theories at the government level are also a practical example of theories, because depending on the effectiveness of their approach, positive or negative results will be obtained on a given population.
Evaluation of medium range theories.
Middle-range theories are dependent on facts included in grand theories or general theories. The effectiveness or ineffectiveness of them is measured considering the approach with which the theory was created. In this approach, aspects or parameters that will lead to the proposed results are collected, and depending on these, the effectiveness of that theory is measured. Medium-range theories have limitations in their approaches, they may be hypotheses that need to be validated in empirical research, and these are the ones that will ultimately define how they will be evaluated.
