Provide a 200 word response to the below answered discussion question in apa format with in-text citations and references.
Original Question:
Why is it important to incorporate a theory or model related to change when implementing practice changes? Does the benefit of incorporating a change model outweigh the time and effort it took to include it?
Discussion Question Answer:
According to Melynk and Fineout- Overholt (2014) a theoretical or conceptual framework is a number of statements that attempt to explain, and or predict a phenomenon. This is important to provide a framework for selecting the variables of the study and how the related to one another, allowing the researcher to develop interventions.
Utilizing a theory or framework will help provide a foundation for designing and planning strategies for intervention and selecting tools that are not random. Using a theory helps explain the reason why the interventions will work and is a critical step planning the interventions (Sales, Smith, Curran, Kochevar, 2006). They help and offer different perspectives on how to translate research into practice.
You believe the benefit is great when incorporating a framework or theory. According to Melnyk and Fineout - Overholt (2014) utlizing a clear theoretical framework is driving the study hypotheses and intervention, and the relationship between the purposed study variables (p.503). The framework is helping guide the direction of the study, they assist the nurse or clinician through the change practices and help strengthen the decisions to implement the evidence based change into practice.
Because we are setting the foundation, while it takes time, it is highly beneficial to the person who is trying to implement the change.
Change models help the clinicians implement the change but also use strategies to disseminate knowledge, identify barriers, stakeholders, and activities that will help sustain the change (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2014). All of these are important when implementing any type of change. This is another reason why a model or theory is important in the EBP process.