Which statement about prescriptive theories is true?

• A. They focus on describing phenomena without guiding interventions.
• B. They are primarily about broad nursing philosophies.
• C. They are used to describe client assessment.
• D. They are action-oriented and specify interventions.

Answer: (D)

Prescriptive theories in nursing guide practice by outlining specific actions to take and the outcomes to expect. They are action-oriented, providing concrete interventions and predicting the results if those interventions are implemented. This makes them directly useful at the bedside for planning care and evaluating effectiveness. Descriptive theories describe phenomena without directing what to do, and broad nursing philosophies cover general beliefs rather than concrete steps. Therefore, prescriptive theories are the ones that emphasize interventions and their anticipated outcomes.