Middle Range Theory: Novice to Expert (Essay Sample)

Middle Range Theory: Novice to Expert
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Middle Range Theory: Novice to Expert
Middle-range theories lay between grand nursing theories and concrete and circumscribed theories such as models and practice theories. They are narrower in scope than grand theories and address a particular part of discipline concerns related to a given topic. Due to their specificity and narrower scope, these theories are useable and empirically testable in research projects. Most researchers prefer middle-range theories to grand theories and conceptual frameworks because they enable the development of testable hypotheses and answer questions related to a specific population (McEwen & Wills, 2019). Novice to Expert theory by Patricia Benner is an example of middle range theory because it addresses a specific concern of how nurses gain nursing skills through a strong educational foundation and personal experiences (Munro, 2020). McEwen & Wills, 2019 argue that middle-range theories are readily operationalized and describe, explain, and predict phenomena. 
Unlike grand theories, middle-range theories are easily applicable and used as frameworks in research projects. They enable knowledge development by guiding nursing interventions and changing a nursing situation to improve nursing care. They also define and refine significant components of nursing science and practice. This paper describes Benner’s Novice to