However, putting theory into practice is not an idea we often discuss. Understanding the philosophical and theoretical foundation of our practice is an important part of professional development and the overall change processes we are undertaking. Theory provides a vision of the central concepts of any discipline. Theory construction is essential in all disciplines as it helps to describe, explain, predict, and prescribe phenomena and situations.
Clinicians use theories as a means of guiding their practice and influencing their interventions.
Other models have demonstrated that practice which is guided by theory is consistent because clinicians are given a framework by which to view situations and plan care. When clinicians interact with patients and other members of the healthcare team, they are giving life to the assumptions, beliefs, and concepts that make up a theory. Theories exist to explain critical concepts and to describe the relationships that connect those concepts. For example, a theory would guide how a practitioner connects pieces of a puzzle. Then, it may help to determine which pieces the practitioner is to start with.