How is nursing research related to nursing theory?
New information about health care is constantly being revealed. Nursing research is expanding the knowledge base for nursing practice. Research findings test the validity of exisiting theories or generate new theories. Nursing practice situations provide the questions and problems that a theory is designed to answer or solve. The “truth” or helpfulness of the theory in doing so is tested and validated through research. These three processes are interrelated in the process of knowledge development in nursing.