There are a lot of nursing theories out there, and it can be confusing and frustrating to find the information you need for an assignment. We have tried to make it a little easier by doing some of the searching for you. The table below contains the name of the nursing theorist, and the best way to search on their theory using the CINAHL database. Just click on the link to go to the search. This will require a log-in if you are off campus.
| Nursing Theorist |
Search Command |
| Allen, Moyra |
("McGill Model of Nursing" OR "developmental health model") |
| Benner, Patricia |
(MH "Benner’s Professional Advancement Model") |
| Corbin, Julliette and Strauss, Anselm |
(MH "Corbin and Strauss Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework") |
| Cox, Cheryl |
(MH "Cox Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior") |
| Gordon, Marjorie |
(MH "Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns") |
| Henderson, Virginia |
(MH "Henderson Nursing Model") |
| Johnson, Dorothy |
(MH "Johnson Behavioral System Model") |
| Johnson, Jean E. and Leventhal, Howard |
(MH "Leventhal and Johnson’s Theory of Self-Regulation") |
| King, Imogene |
(MH "King’s Theory of Goal Attainment") |
| Leininger, Madeleine |
(MH "Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality") |
| Leventhal, Howard and Johnson, Jean E. |
(MH "Leventhal and Johnson’s Theory of Self-Regulation") |
| Levine, Myra Estrin |
(MH "Levine Conservation Model") |
| Long, Kathleen Ann and Weinert, Clarann |
((MM "Rural Health Nursing" AND MM "Nursing Theory") OR "rural nursing theory") |
| Marker, Carolyn G. |
(MH "Marker Nursing Model") |
| Mishel, Merle |
(MH "Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Theory") |
| Neuman, Betty |
(MH "Neuman Systems Model") |
| Newman, Margaret A. |
(MH "Newman Health Model") |
| Nightingale, Florence |
(nightingale* AND theor*) |
| Orem, Dorothea E. |
(MH "Orem Self-Care Model") |
| Orlando, Ida Jean |
(MH "Orlando’s Theory of The Deliberative Nursing Process") |
| Parse, Rosemarie Rizzo |
(MH "Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming") |
| Pender, Nola J. |
(MH "Pender Health Promotion Model") |
| Peplau, Hildegard E. |
(MH "Peplau Interpersonal Relations Model") |
| Rogers, Martha E. |
(MH "Rogers Science of Unitary Human Beings") |
| Roy, Sister Callista |
(MH "Roy Adaptation Model") |
| Rubin, Reva |
(MH "Rubin’s Theory of Maternal Identity") |
| Smith-Marker, Carolyn G. |
(MH "Marker Nursing Model") |
| Strauss, Anselm and Corbin, Julliette |
(MH "Corbin and Strauss Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework") |
| Travelbee, Joyce |
(MH "Travelbee Interpersonal Theory") |
| Watson, Jean |
(MH "Watson’s Theory of Caring") |
| Weinert, Clarann and Long, Kathleen Ann |
((MM "Rural Health Nursing" AND MM "Nursing Theory") OR "rural nursing theory") |
| Wiedenbach, Ernestine |
(MH "Wiedenbach’s Theory") |
Don't see the theory you need, or is there a broken link? Email us!
Leininger's Transcultural Nursing: Concepts, Theories, Research & Practice, Fourth Edition by 
