What is Walker and Avant's (2011) theory of concept analysis? What is its importance in nursing?

Walker and Avant (2011) developed an eight-stage process to define the basic elements of a concept to produce a consistent operational definition so that a concept has validity in the practice of nursing. The eight stages of this process are as follows:

1. select a concept


2. determine a purpose of the analysis (such as to add to theory or to clarify an existing concept)


3. identify the uses of the concept (using dictionaries, thesauruses, literature, etc. to determine the uses of a concept in ordinary language and in science)


4. identify the defining aspects of the concept, meaning the attributes that are most often associated with the concept


5. describe a model case (which is a real-life example of the construct)


6. describe borderline, related, contrary, invented, and illegitimate cases (this helps to distinguish the defining attributes of a concept from those that aren't defining)


7. identify antecedents and consequences, which are events that occur before or after the occurrence of the concept


8. define empirical referents (the occurrences in the real world that help the clinician diagnose the concept) 

As Nuopponen (2010) explains, concept analysis is part of the development of nursing theory. Its purpose is to determine the similarities and differences between concepts and to determine the defining attributes of a concept and the attributes that are irrelevant. The purpose of concept analysis is to get rid of vagueness around a concept to produce clarity with regard to concepts and terminology. 

The article below (in the sources) by Reed (2014) uses a construct analysis to study the concept of eHealth, including the history of the concept, the uses of the concept, identifying attributes, a model case and a borderline case, antecedents and consequences, and empirical referents. It is important to use Walker and Avant's theory of concept analysis to produce clarity around a concept in nursing so that practitioners have the same operational definition of the concept. 

Sources:

Duncan, C. & J. Duff Cloutier & P.H. Bailey (2007). Concept analysis: the importance of differentiating the ontological focus. Journal of Advanced Nursing 58(3), 293–300.

Nuopponen, A. (2010). Methods of concept analysis – a comparative study. LSP Journal, 1 (1). http://lsp.cbs.dk

Reed, J. (2014, June 20). eHealth: A concept analysis from a nursing perspective. Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 9 (1-2).