Nurse Educators’ Perceptions of the Meaning of Nursing Theories in Norwegian Bachelor's Nursing Programmes: A Focus Group Study

Nursing theories strengthen nursing students' self-understanding and identity as nurses and provide them with the knowledge needed for empathetic caring and relational competence. While nursing educators acknowledge the importance of nursing theories in nursing education, discipline-specific nursing knowledge often competes with knowledge from other disciplines. The interdisciplinary approach emphasised in the training of health and social care professionals can overshadow the unique contribution of nursing theories. As a result, nursing theories may appear less important.