Development of middle-range nursing theory for healthy aging.
Nursing Theories; Nursing Process; Geriatric Nursing; Nursing care;
Healthy aging.
The life expectancy of the population had a considerable increase in the last century and
it is projected that Brazil will be the 6th country in the world in number of elderly
people in the next decade. It is emphasized that it is a relevant social and health gain,
but that does not mean that people are living healthier. Therefore, a transformation in
health systems is required, focusing on a model of comprehensive care, centered on the
elderly, requiring more specialized training from nurses and focused on healthy aging.
However, the lack of a specific theoretical framework for gerontological nursing care,
based on the discipline's values and concepts, and focused on the elderly, favors the
need for a medium-range theory in this context. Thus, the aim of this study is to develop
a mid-range theory for healthy aging from the perspective of transitions. This is a
theoretical study, aimed at building a mid-range nursing theory. The development of the
Mid-Range Theory for Healthy Aging (MRTHA) was based on the methodological
framework of Theoretical-Causal Validity in its six stages. As a theoretical approach for
the construction of the theory, the starting point was the concept of healthy aging and
the nursing diagnosis, Disposition for improved healthy aging, associated with the
derivation from a specific theoretical model, in this case Meleis' theory of transitions.
Anchored in these concepts, healthy aging and nursing diagnosis and, and later the
evaluation of the theory of transitions from the Evaluation Model proposed by Meleis
from the elements of description and criticism. The main concepts that emerged from
the MRTHA were derived from the conceptual and theoretical models used. Then the
pictorial scheme was built using the Canva tool, and a posteriori the propositions and
established causal relationships of the MRTHA. The prerogatives of Law nº 9.610/1998,
regarding copyright of the authors of the primary studies used, were fully respected. The
MRTHA originated the formulation of eight propositions and the established causal
relationships between the phenomenon and clinical nursing practice. It was concluded
that the development of MRTHA clarified the occurrence of a health promotion nursing
diagnosis focused on healthy aging. It is expected that the construction of the MRTHA
will contribute to the diagnostic reasoning and theoretical support of gerontological
nursing practice.